How to master the art of napping
Napping is good for you - and don’t just take our word for it, the science says so too!
A recent study looking at data from over 35,000 adults aged 40 to 69 concluded that short daily naps may keep the brain healthy as it ages by delaying brain shrinkage, while other studies have suggested that naps could boost the brain’s learning capacity.
That being said, I’m sure we’ve all gone for what we thought would be a brief power nap, only to wake up an hour or so later with a post-doze grogginess that feels impossible to shake.
So how exactly can we reap the full benefits of napping? To find out, we spoke to our friends over at Clementine - the female-founded hypnotherapy app for sleep, confidence and anxiety - to bring you this guide on perfecting your napping technique.
1. Get your mind in the right place
Ever sat down at your desk, struggled through some post-lunch sleepiness and decided that a nap would help - but when you’ve gone to lie down, your mind just won’t switch off? We’ve all been there…
Often, that happens because we begin to feel guilty about the thought of napping. We convince ourselves that we should be spending that half an hour doing something else - like working, cleaning or being somehow ‘productive’ - and we may even end up feeling worse than before.
But the thing is, rest is crucial to productivity! You need it to be your best self. So if naptime guilt is something you struggle with, remind yourself that an afternoon snooze is going to make you more productive - and boost your wellbeing at the same time.
And just like at nighttime, don’t stress if you can’t get to sleep. Sometimes it won’t happen for you. Even so, closing your eyes for half an hour will still give you an extra burst of energy - and a well-deserved break!
2. Consider the how, when and where of napping
In simple terms, the shorter the better is a rule when it comes to napping. The trick to avoiding that groggy feeling is to not sleep too deeply or for too long - somewhere between 10 and 20 minutes (and definitely no longer than half an hour) is your best bet.
It’s also better to avoid getting into bed for your afternoon nap and opt for a couch or cosy chair instead.
Try to avoid napping too late in the day (no matter how tired you are!) and especially during the four hours before going to bed, to ensure you won’t throw off your sleep schedule.
3. Think about your post-nap ritual too
Our friends at Clementine recommend giving yourself a few extra minutes after your power nap to regain your energy and to let creative ideas flow - and once we tried this, we really felt the benefits.
It’s also worth rehydrating ASAP after your nap - a sip of water signals to your body that you’re moving into a new, active mode (and to be honest, we could probably all do with drinking more water).
4. Try guided power naps
As with pretty much everything related to wellbeing nowadays, technology means you don’t have to do it alone.
Setting a timer to wake yourself up and playing classical music to relax are surefire ways to up your napping game - but if you’re looking for that extra boost, Clementine’s 19-minute power nap session can’t be beaten.
And the really great news? All of our friends of The Know get a free three-month premium subscription to Clementine as a thank you for supporting independent journalism and keeping this tiny startup going.
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