Do you need an excuse to take a nap? Of course, you might be tired, but is it worth it to take time out of your day sleeping instead of getting things done? Research shows that taking naps is good for your physical and mental health, so science says dim the lights and get under the covers to promote a healthier lifestyle.
Naps Provide More Time In REM
When you are asleep, during the REM state is when your body does its maintenance and repairs. The REM state happens about 90 minutes into when you are sleeping, and it is when your eyes are moving rapidly, thus the name Rapid Eye Movement. A study at Harvard revealed that taking naps has the brain in the REM state for longer, which can help with restoring the body and brain.
Napping Can Boost Your Immune System
Are you sleep deprived? This can cause your immune system to be weaker. Studies have shown that you can in fact “catch up on sleep.” In the study, they had people taking naps who were deprived of sleep. The naps helped relieve stress and helped with the subject’s immune system as well. So if you feel like you are running on fumes, catching some z’s on the side can help bring you back to normal.
Napping Helps With Stamina
A study where healthy males were only given five hours of sleeping time at night followed by a thirty-minute post-lunch nap showed that the napping could help with stamina. After their naps, the subject’s sprint time was improved. They also noted that their alertness and believe that napping can be beneficial to athletes who have a restricted schedule causing them to have less sleep time.
Napping Can Improve Memory
A study had two groups of people take time to learn material followed by either a nap or an equivalent wake period. They found that the ones who took a nap had significant higher memory retention and even did better on a surprise relative memory test. If you have a big test coming up, take a nap after you study to help your memory improve!
Make Time For Naps
Now that you know all of the good a nap can do, you can schedule your day for nap time. Some companies have nap rooms, which you should absolutely utilize. Or you can schedule your nap for when you get home from work so that you have energy for the rest of your day. If you have trouble sleeping, taking a large dose of CBD oil before you lay your head down may be able to help you sleep and even promote the REM state.
