How Napping Can Improve Your Life
As we get older, regular naps become harder to achieve. While naps are typically seen as necessary for children, adults can reap many benefits from incorporating naps into their lives. For many, napping is a great way to refresh and recharge for the remainder of your day. Explore the health benefits of napping below.
Boosts Your Memory
When we take naps regularly, studies show that they can help with memory consolidation. Memory consolidation is a process in your brain that turns information into long-term memories. Naps can be extra beneficial for people who are learning new information and need to retain it.
Sharpens The Mind
Studies show that napping can help sharpen the brain by helping it interpret information better and function more efficiently. Napping has also been shown to reduce the level of a chemical called adenosine, a neurotransmitter that plays a role in cognition.
Increase Performance Levels
Research also shows that regular naps may help boost work performance and productivity. Naps are a great way to recharge mid-day, which may give you an edge over other workers and provide you with performance advantages.
Improves Immunity
Short naps may also help boost your immune system. Napping can help reduce stress and inflammatory levels, including cytokines and norepinephrine in the body. Studies suggest that reducing these chemicals with a nap may restore a harmonic balance to the immune system.
Tips for Napping
It’s easy to brush off taking a nap for worry that it will affect your sleep at night. But if you’re feeling tired during the day, it’s perfectly ok to take a small nap. Here are some tips when it comes to napping:
- Set an alarm so you don’t sleep longer than 20 minutes.
- Try to nap before 2 pm so your nap doesn’t affect your nighttime sleep.
- To avoid the groggy feeling after you wake up, try drinking a small amount of caffeine before your nap.
- Find a cool, dark, and quiet place for napping.
- On the days you don’t feel like napping, going out in the bright sunlight can help restore energy.
Why Am I Constantly Tired?
While napping isn’t an option for everyone, it can have a very positive impact on your day-to-day life. However, if you take regular naps and still feel exhausted and run down each day, it may be a bigger issue.
If you’ve been experiencing any of the following symptoms, you may be suffering from sleep apnea:
- Snoring
- Waking up with dry or sore throats
- Constant daytime fatigue or sleepiness
- Waking up at night gasping for air
- Headaches
While incorporating a nap into your routine may help ease these symptoms, it’s not a long-term solution. We recommend undergoing a sleep study to obtain a proper sleep disorder diagnosis.
Visit Dr. Lauck at North Texas Sleep Solutions Today!
Don’t let fatigued days affect you any longer. If you feel that napping isn’t helping you get a hold of your exhaustion or you’re experiencing other sleep apnea symptoms, call Dr. Lauck today to schedule a consultation. Contact our Keller, TX office today at (817) 431-6764. You can also request more information by filling out our online contact form.