NAP DAY

The alarm is ringing, you reach over to that phone… or alarm clock and mutter to yourself, five more minutes. There are definitely days where I wake up way too early due to my morning routine, ahem Tuesdays and Thursdays for my 5:00 am workout class. So on the days where I’d rather NAMASTAY in BED I get a little quick fix by taking a nap! Naps offer so many great health benefits and since the 14th is National nap day, this is one celebration I don’t plan on missing out on.

If I’m short on time the cat nap is my ultimate fave, however the dream come true nap works great for helping me to feel refreshed (see infographic above). Naps have been proven to not only reduce stress and anxiety but to increase productivity as well! Sometimes when the day just isn’t going as planned it’s nice to take a step back and hit restart by going back to bed. If I have a headache or the irritations of the day get too overwhelming closing my eyes and drifting off to sleep often fixes a multitude of my problems. With a clear head I’m able to carpe that diem, erm whatever is left of it anyway.

There are a few naps styles you can engage in:

• Planned napping: Taking a nap before you get sleepy, this is helpful when you know you will be up later than normal, or have to be alert for an activity such as driving a long distance or working 3rd shift. A planned nap will help you to ward off being tired. Planned napping is beneficial so that you are able to get some rest before you actually get sleepy.
• Emergency napping: Have you ever come home from a long day of work or school and realized that you just could not function, a little similar to planned napping however this happens when you are feeling extremely drowsy or fatigued. It is important to listen to your body and schedule time for a nap if you really need it. Reports of people falling asleep at the wheel could all be avoided if we take special care of our conditions and needs. I found myself in need of several emergency naps last year during a two hour drive.
• Habitual napping This happens when someone takes a nap at or around the same time each day. Most commonly seen in the elderly and young.Young children may fall asleep at about the same time each afternoon or an adult might take a short nap after lunch each day.

If you’ve ever encountered sleep deprivation you know that the feeling isn’t fun and you’re in this zombie like state. Getting too little sleep is a serious thing! I recently listened to a TedTalk on the repairs the body makes while it’s sleeping for example our cells are regenerating and repairing themselves, it’s remarkable! On that note my bed is too comfortable to not want to take a nap when I can, the right nook, bed, mattress or sheet set can make all the difference when it’s time to catch some z’s!

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