Struggling with drowsiness? Life Kit shares strategies for perfect napping.
## A Refreshing Nap: Tips from Sleep Medicine Specialist Jade Wu
Napping, a common practice among athletes and those seeking a midday energy boost, can offer numerous benefits for both emotional regulation and physical health. Jade Wu, a renowned sleep medicine specialist and author of the book "Hello Sleep," shares her insights on how to ensure a refreshing nap.
1. **Timing**: Aim to nap between noon and 3 p.m. This timing helps avoid interfering with nighttime sleep, which is crucial for overall restfulness.
2. **Length**: Opt for a short nap to avoid entering deep sleep, which can leave you feeling groggy. A "power nap" lasting 20-30 minutes is ideal. If you need a more substantial rest, a full sleep cycle (90-120 minutes) can be beneficial, but be cautious not to oversleep and disrupt nighttime sleep.
3. **Environment**: Create a dark, quiet, and comfortable environment to enhance the quality of your nap.
4. **Pre-Nap Routine**: Engage in calming activities before napping, such as deep breathing or meditation, and steer clear of caffeine and electronic devices to enhance the quality of your rest.
5. **Post-Nap Routine**: Drink water after waking up to refresh your body and spend a few minutes in natural sunlight to help regulate your circadian rhythms.
In addition to these tips, Jade Wu suggests being consistent in nap times, not having haphazard schedules. She also advises napping in the early afternoon to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep and compares napping to a "performance-enhancing drug without the drug."
It's worth noting that long naps can interfere with nighttime sleep, and taking short naps increases the likelihood of staying in the lighter phases of sleep and avoiding sleep inertia. Jade Wu also suggests that if you nap, it should be at the same time every day, and for shift workers, napping should be at least six to eight hours before the primary rest period.
For those interested in Jade Wu's work, her book "Hello Sleep" offers a comprehensive guide to understanding sleep and its importance in our lives. Furthermore, she suggests that taking a daytime pause, even if you don't fall asleep, can be beneficial for emotional regulation, making individuals less biased towards negative stimuli and more flexible in their thinking. This practice can be rejuvenating in a similar way to a nap.
Science indicates that short naps during the afternoon, particularly between noon and 3 p.m., can positively impact health-and-wellness by serving as a performance-enhancing tool, similar to a drug without the adverse effects. In her book "Hello Sleep," sleep medicine specialist Jade Wu advises incorporating sleep breaks as part of a daily routine, considering their potential benefits in nutrition and emotional regulation.
