The Benefits of Napping

Grabbing a nap every so often can break the commotion in your day. If you’re chasing down meeting after meeting, rushing between duties and chores, or just plain running off your feet, taking a quick nap can restore your energy and focus. Rather than reaching for yet another coffee, napping can be more beneficial and productive than a short-term stimulant.

Napping has both psychological and physical health benefits. Living in a non-stop techno-stream of hyper-information and constant contact can be overbearing, both mentally and physically. Taking strategic moments in your day to calm things down and regather yourself can help you to find balance and sustain focus.

There are different types of napping? Indeed there are. Napping is used for different reasons. So the type of nap you take depends on why you need to find that quick, quiet shut-eye. Here are 5 typical benefits of napping:

• If you’re recovering from the flu, or another medical condition, your immune system will naturally want to fight off infection. Taking extra rest periods in addition to sleeping at night is just the way your body tries to repair and recuperate.
• A few bad nights of sleep will likely have you dragging yourself through the day. Taking a midday or afternoon nap can help improve alertness as you push through the remaining hours.
• Toddlers and children typically need more sleep. Regular, and regulated, nap times can help replenish energy, support growth and develop the immune system.
• If you know you are about to go into an extended period of work or concentration, like a night shift, or an important project, a nap taken just prior can help boost your focus for what’s ahead. On long road trips, sharing the driving may involve rotating naps so that each subsequent driver is safely alert at the wheel.
• And then, why not take a nap because, you know, you just feel like it? Holiday and weekend naps are just another way of relaxing and allowing yourself to rejuvenate.

“This is where you need to be strategic about the reason for your nap”, advises Sleep Scientist Dr Rae. If you’re familiar with the various stages of sleep, you’ll know that there is a difference between the light early stage of sleep, and the deep slumber we eventually fall into. If you need just a brief respite from the day, a 5-15 minute nap is just enough to shut off, but not fall into a stupor. This is often referred to as a ‘power nap’. If you are feeling exhausted and need a longer break, then you will likely need a longer, 90 minute sleep cycle that affords you deeper rest.

While napping has its benefits, Dr Rae adds an important word of caution: “In cases where sleep deprivation is unavoidable, naps can be beneficial to get some of the sleep that we need,” says Dr Rae. “For example, shift workers, parents caring for newborns, long-haul travelers, athletes with high training loads and people who are ill may all benefit from daytime naps. However, if you are not one of these people and can’t get through the day without a nap, then consider that you may not be sleeping properly at night. The priority should then be to address and improve your night-time sleep. Napping should never substitute for good quality, sufficient night-time sleep. Additionally, if you start taking regular naps during the day, this could impact your night-time sleep by making it harder for you to fall asleep or remain asleep during the night.”

If you’re lucky enough to have an office with a couch, be your own guest. Many high-functioning people use daily techniques like quiet-time mindfulness, or transcendental meditation. It is not uncommon to find someone sitting comfortably in their chair, eyes closed, perhaps with a pair of ear plugs, seemingly napping.

Meditation is not napping, but rather a coping device for stress, anxiety, attention disorders, or simply to give your brain a 'breath'. Many organisations are promoting the benefits of these mind-calming techniques that can improve productivity during the day.

Pop into a Dial•a•Bed store, flop back onto a few mattress options, and you’re likely to have an instant nap-attack. There is nothing like the luxurious feel of a new mattress. If your constant napping suggests that you’re not sleeping properly through the night, then perhaps it’s time to replace that old mattress. Do some pre-shopping at www.dialabed.co.za and find your nearest store. If you suspect that your napping is related to interrupted night-time sleeping, why not check in with a Sleep Science consultant. Sleep, or nap, your way to a better day.