Don’t sleep on naps.
Getting some quick shut-eye has been associated with several health benefits, such as boosting creativity, improving parenting and increasing joy, a term nicknamed “nappiness“.
Now, new research shows how our brains get a boost from that afternoon siesta.
Previous studies have shown that a power nap can prevent the brain from shrinking and improve cognitive function as we age.
And a recent study published in the journal NeuroImage shows that even a quick rest can help the brain recover and improve its ability to learn — effects that were previously thought to occur only after a full night of sleep.
After a 45-minute nap, researchers found that synaptic connections in the brain — connections between nerve cells — were able to recover and were better prepared to take in new content.
Our brains are constantly active throughout the day and can even hit a point of saturation where their ability to learn new things decreases over time.
However, any amount of rest can help our minds recover and reset without losing any previously picked up information.
The researchers also pointed out that occasional sleep problems don’t automatically cause a decline in learning or performance.
But there are a few tips to keep in mind to get the most out of a short shuteye.
While the study looked at naps that were close to an hour, you’ll want to keep rest periods during the day short and sweet.
“A short nap of up to about 20 minutes taken during the siesta period of the day (1 to 3 p.m.) can be helpful to improve cognition and wakefulness,” Dr. Thomas Michael Kilkenny, director of the Institute of Sleep Medicine at Northwell Staten Island University Hospital, previously told The Post.
“Anything longer can trigger sleep inertia, the brain’s desire to continue sleeping,” Kilkenny said.
And longer naps can lead to higher body mass index, higher blood pressure and an increased prevalence of metabolic syndromes linked to obesity, diabetes and heart disease.
They can also affect meal and bedtimes by pushing them later and causing increased consumption.
You’ll also want to lie down and rest in a cool, dark room in order to signal your body that it’s time to sleep.
“If [the room] is too hot or cold, it will make it more difficult to fall asleep,” Kilkenny noted. “Likewise, if the room is too brightly lit, it can hamper our ability to doze off.”
Get comfortable, both with what you’re wearing and location, like a nice bed or couch.
Some experts, however, caution against getting back in bed during the day and feel the couch is the perfect blend of comfortable without encouraging too long of a snooze.
Caffeine should also be avoided in the midafternoon so that it doesn’t disrupt sleep, either for a nap or later at night.
“Caffeine is a stimulant and, as such, will decrease our need to take a nap. However, when the effect of the caffeine wears off, we can experience a crash when we can feel really sleepy,” Kilkenny said.
