Startling News About the Power Nap

If you think that catching up on sleep by getting ten minutes in the afternoon is healthy, you have got another thing coming. Napping little by little could eventually catch up with you, and leave your body feeling exhausted and your mind feeling like mush.

Doctors have suggested that not all naps are bad, but they must be worthwhile. Anything under at least twenty-five minutes can actually be more harmful than good. This prevents you from achieving rapid eye movement, which is deep sleep, and so you will be even groggier when you wake up. Lying down for a short amount of time allows the body to start going through the relaxation process, only to be jolted just a few minutes later. So your body then has to work harder, and you do not even get to sleep that long. It is a lose-lose situation.

But, over the years, research has been done on those who take power naps on a regular basis. They showed increased memory and alertness compared to those who never napped. However, the results did not indicate how much sleep they have been having. The consensus seems to be that, while some sleep is better than no sleep at all, there is still no substitute for a full night of peaceful rest.

A big problem with the power nap is that people with busy lives have convinced themselves that they are able to get by on little sleep, because it has become so socially acceptable. If you are a person that is constantly on the go, this could be helpful to you to get a little bit of sleep whenever possible, but it should not become a habit.

Any time you are able to get an extended period of rest, this is beneficial to organ function, skin texture and your overall attitude. So, the longer you are able to sleep, the better. It is important to ensure that, if you are a regular napper throughout the week, try to set aside a few days a week where you can get a full eight hours of good solid rest.

Napping can be a great starting point for people who have trouble falling asleep at night. But, when this becomes a regular routine, it is time to pull the plug on cat naps altogether. You don't want to get stuck in a rut of insomnia at night, and falling asleep in all sorts of places throughout the day. It's time to break the habit of the quick rest, and focus on why you are not sleeping through the night.

Taking a power nap frequently could be a sign that you suffer from insomnia. Indulging in this somewhat unhealthy method could be detrimental to your overall progress of getting a good night's sleep. Perhaps you are going about your sleep patterns in the wrong way, and you just need a little help. Try to get to the bottom of why you are not sleeping at night, rather than relying on the nap all the time. Remember that a good habit is the best kind to have.
Source: http://www.profoundarticles.com/articledetail.php?artid=54077&catid=708