WHY NAP

Nap is a very important aspect of man's life. Some of us are becoming more and more sleep deprived, which may be as a result of our busy lifestyle.

But before we continue, what is Nap? According to the Oxford Advanced Learners Dictionary, nap is a short sleep especially during the day.

Nap is the adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period, it means to be unaware of imminent danger or trouble, to be off guard. It can be regraded as siesta.

Why Should You Nap Everyday?

It is very important to take time out to nap for the following reasons.

1. Nap restores alertness. It is recommended by the National Sleep Foundation to take short nap of 20 - 30 minutes for improved alertness and performance without leaving you with groggy feelings or interfering with night sleep time.

2. A nap prevents burnout: When you race without rest, it leads to stress, frustration and burnout.Taking a nap is like a system reboot. It usually relieves stress and gives you a fresh start.

3. A nap heightens Sensory: According to Some Medical Practitioners, napping can restore the sensitivity of sight, hearing and taste. It also improves creativity by relaxing your mind and allowing new associations to form in it.

4. Napping reduces the risk of heart diseases: Are you aware that those who take a midday nap at least 3 times a week are 37% less likely to die of heart disease? Are you also aware that working men that take nap are 64% less likely?

5. Napping makes you more productive: Medical studies have discovered that workers are becoming unproductive as the day goes by. It has also been discovered that a 30 minutes nap boosts the performance of workers, restoring their productivity.

6. Memory: Naps have been shown to benefit the learning process helping us take in and retain information better. Napping helps our brain to solidify memories.

Somewhere else, we have already talked about how to get quality sleep.

NAPPING TIPS

Try as mush as possible to take a 20 minutes nap as i said early right after your lunch. If you can not get it done, then, try to squeeze it in your daily schedule before 4 pm. No matter how tedious your work is , make out time to take a nap.

Here are some useful tips to nap.

1. Be Consistence: Try to nap at the same time everyday. This helps to stabilize your circadian rhythms (Biological clock) and maximize the benefits.

2. Keep it Short: Avoid sleep inertia. That is, feeling of grogginess and disorientation that can result from awakening from deep sleep. Just make it 20 - 30 minutes if possible, set your alarm to avoid a deep sleep.

3. Turn off the light: Darkness tells us it is time to shut down or go into standby mode. If you can not turn off the light, then wear your simple age mask. When you are done with napping, turn on your light with full brightness.

4. Be Discreet: Avoiding getting napping while at your desk at work can lead to disrespect or even fired. Use your lunch period well, make sure you add napping time to your lunch period. Get into the car or even closet and nap for 20 minutes.

Finally, correct your impression about napping people. They are not lazy, but might just be the smartest and most productive you know

In summary, its quite unfortunate that nap is being misunderstood in our culture. We feel it is lazy and unambitious people that naps. It is often frowned at in our working places, some people feels it is for retirees, who have a lot of time on their hands. A man who fall asleep on his desk at work is laughed at, but in reality, the nap stigma is incredibly misplaced. Naps can be the most powerful tools for self improvement, they can increase not only your health and well being, but also your intelligence and productivity. Get simple tips to improving your sleep habit today.