Tips for Taking the Perfect Nap

Taking a nap during the day can be a real tightrope walk. Either you wake up too soon, feeling groggy and even worse than before, or you roll over and suddenly it’s midnight! You’ve napped your whole day away! Luckily, there is a way to do it right, so that you wake up rested and ready to take on the remainder of the day. Try these tips for achieving the perfect nap and reaching your full potential during the day!

Know if a Nap is Right For You

If you struggle with insomnia, you might want to back away from the bed. Experts say that when insomniacs take daytime naps, it can make sleepless nights even worse – especially if your nap is after 2 p.m.

Don’t fall into the vicious cycle of getting all your sleep in during long afternoon naps. If you’re feeling tired, try to power through until bedtime with some caffeine or a walk outside.

Hit the Sweet Spot

20 to 30 minutes is the sweet spot when it comes to afternoon naps. Sleep any longer and you’ll start to dip into REM sleep, which is much harder to wake up from. You know when you lie down for a little catnap and wake up feeling like a zombie, wishing you’d never gotten out of bed that day at all? Yeah, that means you napped too much or too little. So, aim for that perfect nap, and don’t give in to the temptation to hit snooze!

Prep Properly

Before you go to rest your weary head, take a little sip of coffee or another caffeinated drink. This might seem counterintuitive, but the caffeine takes about as long to kick in as your nap should last. If you drink just a little coffee before naptime, it’ll hit just as you’re getting up, and you’ll wake up well rested and more energized than ever!

Find a Happy Place

Napping the wrong way can be as bad as not napping at all. You’ll want to try to lie down in a dark, quiet place. Sleeping somewhere with lots of noise and light will disrupt your sleep, whether you notice it at the time or not, and make you feel less rested.

Also, if you find yourself dozing off while at your desk or in a chair, try to wrestle yourself into bed, or at least into a nearby couch. Sleeping upright also leads to disturbed sleep, and you won’t wake up feeling quite as refreshed. So, get cozy in bed, grab some ear plugs or an eye mask, and get napping.

Bounce Back

Once your end-of-nap alarm goes off, don’t laze around the house. You’ll just want to go right back to sleep! Instead, stretch it out—get your blood flowing with some deep breathing exercises and a few simple yoga poses. If you have the time, step outside and take a quick walk around the block too. The exercise can help lower stress and spending time in the sun boosts your mood and cuts off melatonin production, which makes you sleepy.

With these tips, you’ll be well rested and ready to get back in the game in no time! But if you find yourself needing naps every day and struggling to get a good night of sleep, the problem might be your mattress. Make sure to come visit us – we have mattresses to suit every shape, size, and sleeping preference, so check out our stock and ask an associate about how you can get a better night’s sleep today!