Lifestyles by Estelia… The Basics of a Great Nap
In my ongoing quest for happiness project I’ve discovered that a real mood booster is a nap. Research shows that naps crunch all the benefits of the first and last part of overnight sleep and make a tremendous contribution to our overall heath.
Harvard researchers have come up with the following pointers for making the most of an afternoon snooze:
- Find a dark, quiet, cool place: One of the keys to a successful nap is being able to fall asleep quickly. Shutting out light and noise and cool temperatures help you to fall asleep faster and feel more comfortable.
- Keep it short: When it comes to naps, less is more. A 20-minute nap is more effective than a longer one.
- Schedule it: If you wait until you’re nodding off at your desk, you’ve waited too long.
- Lose the guilt: Most of us are conditioned to believe that nodding off for 20 minutes in the middle of the workday seems like laziness – adjust your thinking. The truth is a well-timed nap can not only make you more productive at work and home, it will also make you more enjoyable to be around. Imagine that!
Related Reading:
Harvard Men’s Health Watch, February 2012
The Complete Idiot’s Guide to The Psychology of Happiness, Arlene Matthews Uhl
Cognitive, Affective & Behavioral Neuroscience, December 2011
* Image borrowed from Clearwater resident Dean Young, Dagwood’s (Blondie) creator
