The Health Benefits Of A Nap

Americans are increasingly becoming sleep deprived. Napping may help. According to the National Sleep Foundation, over 85 percent of mammals sleep for short periods over the whole day, but humans sleep primarily during larger blocks of time at night. There is a stigma attached to napping among humans, suggesting it is only for children and signifies laziness in adults. But there are benefits to the three types of naps that are worth considering.

Planned

The planned nap is one you take before you get sleepy. This nap helps stave off tiredness later in the evening when you're up during normal sleeping hours. A planned nap before a road trip may also help you avoid falling asleep at the wheel. Try a combination of caffeine and napping as well. According to a study in the January 2006 issue of the journal "Sleep," researchers at the Sleep Medicine and Research Center in La Jolla, California, found that napping before work coupled with caffeine intake helped night-shift workers' alertness and performance.

Emergency

The emergency nap is one you take when you can't stay awake during an activity such as driving, regardless of whether you've taken a planned nap already. Pull over and sleep for about 20 minutes for a refresher. This nap can help increase alertness so you can get to your destination safely. Caffeine may help in this instance as well. In a study in the May 1997 issue of the "International Civil Aviation Organization Journal," researchers at the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration Ames Research Center reported that a 40-minute nap helped improve military pilot and astronaut performance by 34 percent and alertness by 100 percent.

Habitual

The habitual nap is one you take at a designated time each day. Young children often experience this type of nap and adults may benefit from it as well. This type of nap may help you fall asleep quicker at bedtime and wake up quicker in the morning. Daily naps as short as 10 minutes can help provide a little respite. Relax and enjoy a catnap to help ease your mind and provide relaxation.

Considerations

Don't feel guilty about napping, but limit your downtime to a maximum of 20 to 30 minutes. Choose a cool, quiet place. A darkened area is helpful as well. Look out for sleep inertia, or feeling tired and disoriented, caused by napping too long, especially if you're heading to work or an important meeting immediately after your nap. Napping too long later in the day can also cause nighttime sleep disruption, and snoozing too early may backfire because your body is perhaps not ready for sleep. If you continually have trouble sleeping, consult your doctor for advice.