Napping Properly: Tips to Having a Relaxing Nap

Nap time isn't just for kids anymore! Some days, adults could also use a break for a nap. Whether you call it a catnap, a power-nap or just a nap, needing a nap doesn't mean you are lazy. Instead, it probably means that you need a refresher, or maybe you need more sleep in general. Taking a nap every now and then throughout your week can definitely improve your health. A short, 30-minute nap can increase your energy level, refresh your brain, and lead you to a more productive day. Trying to fight your tiredness will only have the effect of making you feel worse and less motivated. While naps are important some days, a bad nap can be worse than not getting a nap at all! If you feel the need for a nap at any time, follow these tips to make sure you get the most out of nap time as you possibly can.

Be Prepared: Do you ever start to drift off on the couch, and then start to get a little chilly, and then the TV sound is annoying you? In these situations, you are probably too tired to do anything about it, so you toss and turn and toss and turn through a horrible nap until you finally wake up feeling cold and worse then before. When I feel like I might want to take a nap, I'm always prepared. I grab a blanket and keep it near me on the couch and I pull the remote nearby. We naturally cool down as we sleep, so have a blanket ready before any nap.

Get Comfortable: It's easy to drift into a nap while laying in the most uncomfortable chair in the most uncomfortable position. At the moment you may think you are too tired to care, but when you wake up you'll be achy and in worse shape than before the nap. Instead, if you start to drift off in this uncomfortable position, it's better to wake yourself up and rearrange so that you can really be comfy. Grab a pillow, grab your blanket, and tuck yourself in for a nice relaxing nap. Some people won't do this for fear that once they get up they won't be able to nap, but in my experience I find it easy to drift back into my nap after I've gotten really comfortable.

Leave the Light On: This is a trick I do to prevent over-napping. The truth is, anything over an hour is no longer a real "nap" but instead it is "sleep". While you can wake up from a nap refreshed, if you actually fall into a deep sleep you'll likely wake up groggy and feeling the need to go back to bed. By leaving the light on, the room never gets too dark even after the sun has set. When I wake up, I feel refreshed and ready to get some more things accomplished before bed which is the true reason for a nap. Whenever I forget to leave a light on and wake up to darkness outside, it suddenly feels so late even when it's only 6 PM. Leaving the light on is a good mental trick to help your brain realize there is still plenty of time left in the day to be productive.

Turn the TV Off: Even though lights make it easier to break out of a nap, TV and other noises can make it harder to stay in a nap. Whenver I fall asleep with the TV on, I wake up various times hearing annoying commercials, or loud parts of the TV show that startle me. A nap is no good if you keep waking up. Even if you use the TV to relax before the nap, it's best to turn it off right before you feel yourself falling asleep.

Set an Alarm: If you tend to over-nap, you may have to start using an alarm during your naps. A nap is meant to be a short refresher, kind of like restarting your brain so you can get more accomplished in the day. If you are going to nap for 2-3 hours, you might as well just go to bed! I aim for my naps to be 30 minutes, although they sometimes drag on for an hour. When the 30 minutes hits I find that it may be hard to get up, but once I am up I feel great. Anytime that I've over-napped, I end up waking up and doing little to nothing for the rest of the night because my body thought it was bedtime, not nap time.

Don't get addicted: Finally, although a nap once a week or every few days may be necessary for a busy person, try not to get addicted. There were times in the past where I felt like I needed a nap every day after I ate dinner. I was addicted! Overtime it became hard to sleep at night, because I had napped during the day. Now I avoid napping unless I really feel groggy. For adults, naps should be used as refreshers throughout the week, not as a daily sleeping pattern. If you feel decent and awake, don't get into the habit of napping just to nap. However if you feel groggy, tired, and unproductive - then you deserve a break! Follow my tips and get started on your nap right now. Enjoy!!