Why Napping Is More Important Than You Think
It’s unavoidable: we all hit a slump at some point in the day. We feel groggy and unable to focus, so we try to power through with some caffeine. It turns out that all those yawns from your body shouldn’t be ignored: napping is great for your body and mind.
Finding the time to nap isn’t always easy, but it has great health benefits beyond not feeling tired. Naps can be as short as 15-30 minutes for your body to enjoy some of the benefits. Any longer than that and you might feel groggy or affect your sleep at night.
Napping may help your body in many ways, including:
- Feeling relaxed
- Increasing your alertness
- Improving your mood
- Increasing your reaction time
- Helping your memory
- Lowering your blood pressure
Winding down in the middle of the day for a nap is often difficult. To make it easier, try to rest in the early afternoon in a dark, quiet place with no distractions, and give yourself some time to wake up once it’s over. If you’re too busy to nap, closing your eyes for a few minutes may give you similar benefits to sleep and make you feel recharged.
Exercise can also make it easier to fall asleep when the time comes. Our Online Health Coach can help you set goals to feel relaxed and get active—Standard and Basic Option members may even be able to earn rewards for completing these goals. Plus if you’ve been diagnosed with high blood pressure, you may be eligible to receive a free blood pressure monitor too.
