ORLANDO, Fla – Monday is National Nap Day! As many as one-third of adults regularly take a midday nap, according to the National Sleep Foundation.
But napping could be doing you more harm than good.
A nap can help you feel refreshed, but only if you do it correctly.
Adults who take long naps during the day are more likely to have heart disease, diabetes and depression. They may also have trouble falling asleep at night.
But short, daytime periods of sleep have been shown to make you less drowsy, boost your mood, increase alertness, and even improve your memory.
Researchers at UC Berkeley say the best time to nap is right in the middle of your wake cycle -- that means you should try to nap eight hours after waking up in the morning, and eight hours before going to bed at night.
To nap the right way, sleep in an area that’s quiet and dark with few distractions. Schedule your sleep in the early afternoon when your body experiences a natural circadian dip.
Napping after 3 p.m. might make it harder to fall asleep at night.
Also, keep naps short. Ideally, they should be around 20 minutes.
According to the Sleep Foundation, people who nap to boost energy may benefit from drinking caffeine before their slumber. The brain and body feel the effects of caffeine about 30 minutes after it’s consumed. Caffeine right before a nap may increase alertness when you wake up.