When does napping make you tired?
Dr. Talar Moukhtarian - a mental health doctor at Warwick Medical School, University of Warwick (UK) - said that daytime sleep can be a double-edged sword. If done correctly, it helps increase alertness and support health, but if not done properly, it can make you feel tired, have difficulty sleeping at night and reduce performance.
A short sleep in the middle of the day will help fight fatigue, improve alertness and cognitive function without affecting night sleep.
However, if your napping lasts too long, for example, over 30 minutes, you may wake up during deep sleep, causing a feeling of lethargy and disorientation.
Studies show that sleeping too long can make you feel tired for an hour, making it difficult to perform important tasks.
In addition, sleeping at noon too late can make night sleep more difficult. For those who work night shifts or have an irregular sleep schedule, getting a good day's sleep can help increase alertness and reduce the risk of making mistakes.
However, napping cannot replace adequate night sleep. People with chronic insomnia should avoid napping to avoid weakening their motivation to sleep at night.
Daylight sleep can also help athletes recover and improve endurance, as well as help people at work that require high concentration, such as medical staff or crew, maintain alertness.
"A 26-minute daytime sleep has been shown by NASA to improve flight operations staff performance by 34% and alertness by 54%," said Dr. Talar Moukhtarian.
Effective way to take a nap
For afternoon sleep to be effective, time and environment are very important. Ideal napping lasts 10-20 minutes and should take place before 2pm.
Sleeping at noon too late can disrupt your natural sleep schedule. The lunch environment also needs to be cool, dark and quiet to bring the best quality. Eye masks and noise-proof headphones can help if you have to take a nap in an overcast or noisy environment.
Although beneficial, napping is not always suitable for everyone. Age, habits and lifestyle all affect the effectiveness of napping.
It is important to evaluate and recognize the effects of napping on overall sleep quality.
