On the trending search, a University of Pennsylvania study found that taking a nap of no more than 1 hour can slow down premature brain aging. It stands to reason that the more you take a nap, the smarter you are.
But why is it better not to sleep when I wake up from a nap and wake up sluggish and depressed?
Is the nap posture incorrect?
Because the nap is too long, the brain needs to restart.
Nap time too long will enter deep sleep, open sleep inertia, let you sleep more and more lazily, and the more you sleep, the less you want to get up. At this time, even if you wake up, you will wake up but not fully awake. Although your eyes are open, your brain is still sleepwalking.
(Source: Internet)
It takes about 20 minutes for the prefrontal lobe, which is responsible for emotional and cognitive functions, to wake up during the slow turn on of the brain[1]. At this time, the brain can’t handle the complex emotions, so it will be depressed and angry, and that’s how “getting up” comes.
At this time, the information processing speed of the brain will also be slower, so that we start to be clumsy and dumb, similar to the lag when the computer is turned on.
Once sleep inertia is turned on, it will take about 30 minutes to an hour to dissipate [2].
1. How long is the best time to take a nap?
If you don’t go into deep sleep when you take a nap, you can turn off sleep inertia and let your brain stand by for charging instead of shutting down. The best time is 20~30 minutes, no matter how sleepy it is, no more than 60 minutes.
Studies have found that taking a nap at an appropriate time can slow down premature brain aging, effectively relieve fatigue, improve memory, and improve mood and wakefulness in the afternoon [3-6].
All in all, a short nap is a recharging process that can make you wake up with a great mind, active mind, and become the smartest cub.
(Source: Internet)
2. What should I do if I can’t wake up after a nap?
I have heard a lot of truths, but if you are still very sleepy after a nap and want to slack off, try these methods:
Wake up and close your eyes before sitting up.
Wash your face with cold water after getting up, and take a shower if you can.
Going for a walk in the sun can also help wake you up.
The most convenient way is to drink some caffeinated beverages like coffee or tea[2].
3. Is it true that you can’t sleep at night after taking a nap?
Many people never take a nap because they are afraid of not being able to sleep at night. In fact, studies have shown that after developing the habit of napping, napping will not affect the quality of night sleep [7].
But if you don’t have the habit of taking naps, but suddenly sleep for a few hours during the day, such as staying up late during the week and taking a nap to catch up on the weekend, it will indeed affect your sleep at night, resulting in inability to sleep at night – daytime Supplementary sleep – a vicious cycle of not being able to sleep at night. So try not to take a nap to pay off the debt of staying up late.
Image source: Zhanku Hailuo
4. Can I take a nap right after dinner?
Some students said they would be sleepy after lunch and especially wanted to go to bed immediately. In fact, sleeping like this can easily lead to indigestion, and it is easy to induce gastritis in the long run.
The correct posture is to wash the dishes or take a walk after lunch. Migrant workers and scholars can stand at the table for a while and wait until 30 minutes after meals before going to bed, which is not only good for health but also not easy to gain weight.
5. How do I take a nap at the office or at my desk?
Don’t sleep on your stomach, because you will wake up with numbness in your hands, sore arms, pain in your shoulders and neck, marks on your face, and a lack of blood supply to your brain. Dizziness, dizziness, etc. Sleeping on your stomach for a long time affects the physiological curvature of the cervical spine and can lead to cervical spondylosis.
It is recommended to sleep on a folding bed or a U-shaped pillow, and wear an earplug and an eye mask.
6. What should I do if I can’t sleep in the afternoon?
If you don’t have the habit of taking a nap, make sure to relax and rest for a while in the afternoon. Rest with your eyes closed and listen to white noise or soothing music. At this time, don’t let the Internet suppress the cloud.
7. Do I have to take a nap at noon? Can you sleep if you are tired in the afternoon?
It is not recommended to go to bed after 3 o’clock, it will affect sleep at night.
Naps have many benefits, as long as they are not excessive, they allow us to have an energetic afternoon and evening.
But there are also many classmates who say that they are too busy at ordinary times, not because they don’t want to sleep, but because I don’t deserve it. In fact, it is good to close your eyes and rest for 5-10 minutes. No matter how busy you are, you have to combine work and rest.
Nap, come, try it~
Reviewer: Lin Weicheng| Deputy Chief Physician, Department of Psychiatry, Affiliated Brain Hospital, Guangzhou Medical University
References
[1]Balkin T J , Braun A R , Wesensten N J , et al. The process of awakening: a PET study of regional brain activity patterns mediating the re-establishment of alertness and consciousness.[J ]. Brain A Journal of Neurology, 2002(10):2308-19.
[2] Hou Yanhong. The effect of sleep inertia on cognitive function and coffee countermeasures [D]. The Fourth Military Medical University of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, 2003.
[3] Zhao Dayong, Fu Mingqiu, Tang Yonglong, et al. An overview of the research on naps [J]. Advances in Psychological Science, 2009(02):421-425.
[4]Hayashi, M., & Hori, T. (1998). The effects of a 20-min nap before post-lunch dip. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences, 52, 203C204.
[5]Hayashi, M., Ito, S., & Hori, T. (1999a). The effects of a 20-min nap at noon on sleepiness, performance and EEG activity. International Journal of Psychophysiology, 32, 173C180.
[6]Hayashi, M., Watanabe, M., & Hori, T. (1999b). The effects of a 20 min nap in the mid-afternoon on mood, performance and EEG activity. Clinical Neurophysiology, 110, 272C279.
[7]Johnston, S. K., Landis, C. A., Lentz, M. J., & Shaver, J. L. F. (2001). Self-reported nap behaviour and polysomnography at home in midlife women with and without insomnia. Sleep, 24, 913C919.
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