The Sleep Wiki: To Nap Or Not To Nap That Is The Question

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To Nap Or Not To Nap, That Is The Question

By Kathy Cash

Not surprisingly, the longer our normal sleep cycle goes undisturbed, the better for our health and well-being. Whether you are a shiftworker, parent with restless kids, a student cramming for exams, or deal with any of the other myriad reasons for not sleeping soundly, sensible napping may play an important role in your sleeping routine.

Just how much benefit you get from a nap depends on a number of factors, including:

When and how long you nap
How well you slept during your main sleep period
How long youve been awake prior to the nap and when you can sleep again
Your state of energy and wakefulness at the time of the nap

There are two main reasons for including naps in your daily sleep strategy:

To help make up for lost or restless sleep
To minimize sleepiness during your normal waking hours

Most people have heard that there are different depths of sleep. During a normal sleep cycle we rise and fall in this cycle like a balloon floating along on a current of air. It is important to time a nap so that you awaken from a light sleep, as opposed to a deep one. So, if you are simply trying to shake off a mid-afternoon energy slump, shorter power naps of 20-30 minutes will leave you feeling rested and alert. But if you are actually trying to recover from lost sleep, you need to figure on 1-1/2 to 3 hours sleep. More than 30 minutes, but less than 90 minutes of sleep, will likely have you trying to wake from your deepest level of sleep. This will leave you feeling even more tired than when you started.

The time of day that you nap is also an important factor. Falling asleep quickly for a nap is easiest when your energy levels dip naturally in mid-afternoon (12:00-5:00 PM), and of course, anytime during the night. Factors, such as when you last slept, how long youve been awake, and how long you must stay awake, should also be considered in the timing of your naps. Most of these factors are determined by your work schedule and home responsibilities.

It is important to remember that naps are not a substitute for long stretches of uninterrupted sleep. You still need a daily block of uninterrupted sleep that lasts at least 4-5, and preferably 6-8, hours. Naps should only be used when you have no choice but to do what you must in order to get by temporarily; but return to your normal sleep patterns as soon as possible.

Author Profile: Kathy Cash

Resource Box: Kathy K. Cash, RN Certified Health Promotion Director 5585 Old Hickory Blvd. Nashville, TN 37218 Ph: (615) 255-5941

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The Sleep Wiki: To Nap Or Not To Nap That Is The Question

Wiki is a website that allows the visitors to quickly and easily add, remove and otherwise edit and change some content, sometimes without the need for registering. This ease of interaction and use makes the Hive Wiki an effective tool for collaborative authoring. Create Fresh No-Cost HiveWiki Now! Home \| Edit \| Index \| Recent Changes To Nap Or Not To Nap, That Is The Question By Kathy Cash Not surprisingly, the longer our normal sleep cycle goes undisturbed, the better for our health and well-being. Whether you are a shiftworker, parent with restless kids, a student cramming for exams, or deal with any of the other myriad reasons for not sleeping soundly, sensible napping may play an important role in your sleeping routine. Just how much benefit you get from a nap depends on a number of factors, including: When and how long you nap How well you slept during your main sleep period How long youve been awake prior to the nap and when you can sleep again Your state of energy and wakefulness at the time of the nap There are two main reasons for including naps in your daily sleep strategy: To help make up for lost or restless sleep To minimize sleepiness during your normal waking hours Most people have heard that there are different depths of sleep. During a normal sleep cycle we rise and fall in this cycle like a balloon floating along on a current of air. It is important to time a nap so that you awaken from a light sleep, as opposed to a deep one. So, if you are simply trying to shake off a mid-afternoon energy slump, shorter power naps of 20-30 minutes will leave you feeling rested and alert. But if you are actually trying to recover from lost sleep, you need to figure on 1-1/2 to 3 hours sleep. More than 30 minutes, but less than 90 minutes of sleep, will likely have you trying to wake from your deepest level of sleep. This will leave you feeling even more tired than when you started. The time of day that you nap is also an important factor. Falling asleep quickly for a nap is easiest when your energy levels dip naturally in mid-afternoon (12:00-5:00 PM), and of course, anytime during the night. Factors, such as when you last slept, how long youve been awake, and how long you must stay awake, should also be considered in the timing of your naps. Most of these factors are determined by your work schedule and home responsibilities. It is important to remember that naps are not a substitute for long stretches of uninterrupted sleep. You still need a daily block of uninterrupted sleep that lasts at least 4-5, and preferably 6-8, hours. Naps should only be used when you have no choice but to do what you must in order to get by temporarily; but return to your normal sleep patterns as soon as possible. Author Profile: Kathy Cash Resource Box: Kathy K. Cash, RN Certified Health Promotion Director 5585 Old Hickory Blvd. Nashville, TN 37218 Ph: (615) 255-5941 Article stop article #59 From Bedroom Fresh copy to be cached until 9:07:50 PM 655 hits This Page: Edit \| History This Wiki: Home \| Related To To_Nap_Or_Not_To_Nap_That_Is_The_Question \| Index \| Recent Changes \| Random Page \| Search Login \| Create New Wiki \| Wiki List 10/6/2008 1:07 PM v0.61.106 ADBEFEED
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