12 Days of Self-Care: Day 6
Treat Yourself to a NAP on the sixth day of self-care
Written by Brandi McMurry
Photo by Christopher Gibson of author Brandi McMurry
With the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you might find yourself feeling tired, stressed, or low on energy. I am here to tell you that you don’t always have to be in GO! GO!GO! mode. Taking time for yourself to rest and relax may be just what the body ordered for the sixth day of self-care!
Power nap
Nap for about 10 minutes to perceive the benefits of a power nap. Coined by social psychologist James Maas of Cornell University, studies show as little as 10 minutes of sleep can boost memory, alertness, and performance. A study published by the University of Dusseldorf found that as little as six minutes of sleep can effectively reverse the effects of sleep deprivation, and activate the memory process.
Studies show that men and women who power nap daily also have a lower rate of heart disease.
Nappacino
Love mug selfie by Brandi McMurry
A nappacino on the sixth day of self-care is exactly what my body ordered.
Drinking caffeine after your power nap is called a stimulant nap, or sometimes called a nappacino. Nap for 10 to 20 minutes then, upon waking, drink some caffeine.
A driving study conducted by Horne and Ryder found that a nappacino was the most effective in reducing car accidents related to sleep deprivation. The study looked at the effects of music while driving, cold air blowing on the driver, simply driving straight through as normal, caffeine pills, and the nappacino to see which helped sleep-deprived drivers the most to prevent accidents.
Catnap to reduce stress and lift your mood
A catnap of 30 minutes to 1 hour can significantly reduce your stress levels, in turn creating a better mood. Even if you don’t completely fall asleep during your nap, experts say laying down and resting can still significantly improve your mood helping the rest of your daily tasks to be completed more easily.
How to avoid sleep inertia and insomnia
Benefits from a short nap help with brain function. When you reach the deeper cycles of sleep you may find that you wake up with brain fog after a long nap. This grogginess is called sleep inertia. To avoid sleep inertia aim for an hour nap or less.
Napping during the day can also cause insomnia. This can quickly turn into an unhealthy cycle if you aren’t careful. Hours of napping can make it difficult to fall asleep at your normal bedtime. So it is ideal to keep your afternoon nap on the shorter end.
Take this sixth day of self-care for yourself to slow down, rest, and recuperate from any stress and a busy lifestyle. Your brain will thank you!
