Napping Do’s and Don’ts

Many adults wish they could go back to the days when they took naps as children. As it turns out, you do not need to turn back time to take a nap. In fact, lots of adults can benefit from adding napping to their regular routine. Before you start scheduling a daily nap, consider the pros and cons of napping, as well as these tips on making the most of any naps you take. Then, head to your local The Mattress Hub to make sure you have the most comfortable place to take your naps.

What Are the Benefits of Napping?

Napping allows you to get more sleep when you did not get enough the night before, thus reducing your fatigue, which is good for your body and mind. Other benefits of napping include making you more relaxed, improving your mood and helping you feel more alert. Napping can even improve your memory and your reaction time, which can help you on the drive to work and during your workday. The sleep experts recommend that you find a comfortable place to nap if you want these benefits. Taking a visit to The Mattress Hub for the perfect sleep surface is a good start.

What Are the Drawbacks to Napping?

Like nearly everything else in life, napping does have a few drawbacks. For example, some people feel groggy, not refreshed, after a nap. They may also be confused when they wake up. If you often feel more tired or lazy than usual after sleeping in the middle of the day, you might not be suited to napping. On the other hand, you might enjoy naps during the day but then have trouble falling asleep at night. If this situation happens, you might want to cut out your naps entirely, or at least keep them shorter. You can always experiment with the length and frequency of your naps until you settle on what works best for you.

How Much Should You Nap?

In general, your naps should not be too long. The best naps can be as short as 10 minutes or as long as 30 minutes. Of course, if you are not able to sleep much at night, perhaps due to your work schedule, your daily naps may need to be longer. Just keep in mind that the longer you sleep during the day, the higher the chance you will feel groggy and confused when you wake up.

What Times Are Best to Nap?

You should nap around the time you feel most tired during the day. Most people get tired shortly after lunch, such as 2 p.m. An early afternoon nap will make you less likely to struggle with falling asleep at night due to your nap. Regardless of when you choose to nap, make sure you are able to create an environment that encourages sleep. This environment is usually a dark room that does not let lots of sunlight in. It should also be quiet and not too hot or cold. Otherwise, you will end up tossing and turning for a while, wasting the time you could have spent sleeping during the day.

If you are ready to try napping now, make sure you have the right place to do it. Start by going to The Mattress Hub to talk to the sleep experts about buying a mattress that is right for you.