Daytime snoozing is a healthy way to compensate for the lost sleep, get an energy kick or reduce the effect of jet lag. If you’ve been burning the candle at both ends, you too could definitely use some short or ‘power’ naps during the day. Because anything that makes up for sleep debt is considered healthy and restorative.
But it’s not just any random snooze. It’s a skill one needs to master.
A ‘power nap’ is a brief sleep that ends right before it turns into a deep slumber. So, it usually lasts somewhere from 15 to 30 minutes. The perfect napping time is between 1PM and 3PM. It’s optimal for fighting drowsiness but at the same time not to disrupt your sleep at night. Setting an alarm for the time of your snooze might be a good idea. Because if you doze for longer than 30 minutes, you’ll end up feeling half asleep and groggy for quite some time afterwards.
Still, more often than not daytime doze at work is frowned upon. When, actually, naps have the power to improve memory and boost productivity. They are much more effective for work performance than coffee. Moreover, many successful people were famous for their love of napping: Winston Churchill, Salvador Dali, Albert Einstein, JFK. To name a few. So, maybe you shouldn’t feel guilty next time you doze off.
The only thing, mind that daytime siestas are directly linked to a nighttime sleep. So, if you regularly struggle to fall asleep at night or you are a trouble sleeper, napping can make matters only worse.
Also, there’s a chance you feel sleepy during the day because your current sleep routine is not giving you the much needed rest. If you know that your bedtime schedule really is inconsistent, you can try rebooting your sleep cycle.