Sleeping Too Much

Napping … Is it Good for You?

Rose knows that the National Foundation of Sleep has reported that taking naps in the afternoon will interrupt the recommended 7-8 hours of nighttime sleep.  Sleeping too much in the afternoon can keep us up later at night and over time we lose the quality of nighttime sleep. Also as we age we naturally lose the quality of nighttime sleep and in the November 2009 issue of the Harvard Health Letter gave an account that taking a nap during the day is a way to catch up on our sleep.  Your desire or need for sleep in the afternoon usually hits you around the same time every day. 

Your biological clock regulates your body temperature, blood pressure, secretion of digestive juices and your sleep/wake cycle.  This sleep/wake cycle also known as your circadian schedule oftentimes controls your hormones that wake you in the morning and help you fall asleep at night.  Sometimes you experience mid-afternoon sleepiness as part of your circadian schedule.  Disrupting your natural circadian schedule by working the night shift or jet lag can contribute to your inability to fall asleep at night, which can cause you to feel tired in the late afternoon. 

Napping….is it good for you?  How long should a nap be to help us reenergize and not affect our sleep schedule?  Does the time of day we nap matter?  What is a power nap?

While some of us can nap for short periods of time others require longer naps.  A power nap of six minutes can help with retention and memorization for those that work in an office; others might require at least 40 minutes improving alertness and performance such as those that work with high stress jobs such as air traffic controllers, firemen/EMS workers and night shift employees.  (Some experts a nap should be limited to 30 minutes)

Taking a nap after lunch in other countries like Spain, Italy, the Middle East, North Africa and many Latin American countries find it commonplace and encouraged.  Some offices in Japan have a ‘napping room’ or allow a pillow at the employee’s desks for a nap during office hours.  Studies have proven that a nap just like exercise help lower cardiovascular conditions and stroke.  Other studies show that people who nap often at least 30 minutes three times a week have a lower risk for heart attacks, especially among men.  Even if you nap occasionally you will have a 12% lower coronary mortality than those that don’t nap at all.

How to get the most out of your nap?  The ideal amount of time to nap is 30 minutes to reenergize and feel rested, set your alarm so you won’t sleep longer.  Longer naps will put you into a deeper sleep or REM sleep which will make it harder for you to concentrate once awakened.  Try to sleep where it’s dark, noise free and cool.  If you don’t have control over external distractions you can use ear plugs, listen to sleep music and wear an eye mask to help you to fall asleep faster. Listen to your biological clock it will tell you when you need to nap and if you schedule your nap around the same time every day your body will adjust to this routine.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention more than 1 out of 10 people are sleep-deprived.  Other statistics show that Hispanics sleep better than whites and blacks and men better than women.

Like a nap time routine you should also keep the same bedtime schedule.  Sticking to a bedtime routine like; taking a warm bath, reading a book, writing in your journal, doing yoga stretches, listening to self-hypnotic CDs or meditate and going to bed at the same time every night tells your brain and body it’s time to retire. Don’t drink or eat too much prior to bedtime as eating can cause indigestion and acid reflux, drinking will only wake you up during the night to go to the bathroom.  Drinking alcohol might make you go to sleep, but is known to wake people up during the night. Alcohol also causes sleep apnea.  Smoking and caffeinated beverages increase your heart rate and it will take longer for your body to regulate your system before you can sleep.  If you like to drink a tea sleep aide prior to bed make sure that it is decaffeinated. Remember your bedroom is a safe peaceful place where you leave your stress about work and family at the door.  Make your bed as comfortable as possible with a mattress that fits your needs.  If you bed is uncomfortable but you can’t afford a new mattress, try a memory foam mattress pad topper.  Oh and keep the kid and pets out, if possible. 

If you find you can’t get to sleep at night because you are sleeping too much during the day, cut back on your naps until you figure out the perfect nap-time schedule that is right for you.

Good Day

Rose Sheepskill