According to experts, napping can boost your health and mood getting enough sleep is important for your overall wellbeing. However, during the winter, when the days are shorter and there’s less access to sunlight, the usual kip you catch might not be enough. when done properly, napping can help boost your energy, ease stress and improve mood. A power nap could also decrease symptoms of sleep deprivation and enhance your cognitive functioning. It’s not just the stress of the holiday season, late nights or increase in alcohol consumption that could be causing sleep disruptions. “January can be particularly challenging for sleep due to a mix of physical and psychological factors The shorter, darker days disrupt our exposure to natural light, which is essential for regulating the body’s circadian rhythm. With less sunlight, our cortisol (the alert hormone) and melatonin (the sleepy hormone) production can be thrown off. Healthy adults generally need around 7 to 9 hours of quality sleep. But, according to research, more than 35 percent of Americans don’t hit this target and experience sleep deprivation. “While naps are not a substitute for a full night of quality sleep, they can help offset the effects of poor sleep (i.e. brain fog, irritability, and difficulty concentrating),” Murray tells us. “A short nap can restore alertness, improve cognitive performance, and take the edge off daytime fatigue. We’re well versed in how blue light from screens makes it harder to fall asleep. So while it can be tempting to nap on the couch in front of a TV, taking yourself off to a dark and cool bedroom, with a temperature of between 60-68°F, is best. “A dark, quiet room (with blackout blinds or an eye mask) can help you fall asleep more quickly and stay asleep for the short duration of your nap,” Dr Browning says. If outside daytime noise is an issue, consider using earplugs or white noise If you’ve ever had difficulty focusing on a task or are suffering from poor short term memory, a short nap could help supercharge your cognitive functioning. “Napping can help our alertness and our cognitive functioning which can give us a boost to engage in the rest of the day When we nap, it can improve alertness and reduce tiredness, as well as help with memory consolidation (learning and memory) and emotional processing
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Monday, January 20, 2025