Proven Tips for the Perfect Power Nap

Are you a power napper? If not, you might want to consider trying out a power nap. Psychologist and author of Power Sleep, Dr. James B. Maas, was the first to coin the term “power nap.” These short bursts of sleep are typically taken after several hours of being awake and don’t include stages of deep sleep. They’re great for boosting mood, energy, creativity, and productivity and their benefits can last you all through the day.

If you tend to feel tired during the daytime and turn to boosts of caffeine to stay focused on what you’re doing, you might benefit from power naps. The ideal power nap should last 20 to 30 minutes and should be taken about eight hours after getting up in the morning to help to counter the natural dip in circadian rhythm that occurs after being awake for a period. For most people, this dip occurs between 2 and 4 p.m.

Here are a few tips on how to take the perfect power nap to help you rejuvenate as much as possible in a minimal amount of time.

Before your snooze, you’ll want to choose a comfortable, dark, quiet spot where you can take your power nap. If possible, adjust the temperature in the room to ensure you are not too hot or cold. And if needed, use earplugs, an eye mask or white noise to help you tune out background noise. With time and practice, you can adjust to taking power naps under less than optimal circumstances.

So you don’t feel anxious about when you should be getting up, set an alarm for about 20 minutes. You’ll want to get up after 20 to 30 minutes since sleeping any longer might leave you feeling groggy rather than refreshed as your sleep cycles change. The next best nap length is a 90-minute nap which allows you to sleep for one complete REM (rapid eye movement) cycle.

If you can’t fall asleep, don’t get frustrated. It may take time to get into the groove of effective power napping. Encourage yourself to relax by meditating, listening to music, or using brainwave entertainment audios intended for power napping. Rest assured, you will get better at power napping with some practice. If you are at least resting for a short period, your body will be benefiting anyways.

If you enjoy caffeine, try taking a caffeinated drink right before your power nap. Research shows that drinking caffeine before your nap boosts your energy better than drinking caffeine or a taking a nap alone. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, so you’ll be feeling the effects of it just as you wake up.

It’s not uncommon to feel disoriented and a little unstable from waking up after a power nap. To counter these feelings, try splashing some cool water on your face, having a glass of water and taking in some fresh air.

Enjoy your power naps without feeling guilty. Sleeping for these short periods is a great way to help you improve both your mental and physical health.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/proven-tips-for-the-perfect-power-nap

Is Sleeping in on Weekends Good or Bad for You?

The term “social jetlag” is commonly used to describe the pattern many people follow of getting up early on weekdays and staying up late on the weekends to socialize and sleep in. For many of us it has become a habit to follow this pattern after a long, exhausting week filled with nights where we didn’t get enough sleep. But are we really doing our bodies and our health a favor or not by attempting to catch up on sleep over the weekend?

The truth is there are both advantages and disadvantages of sleeping in on the weekends. Past research tells us that sleeping in isn’t ideal since you can’t bank sleep or use it later for making up lost time.

Our bodies also like and work best following routine, it’s as simple as that. When we don’t follow a consistent sleep schedule due to skimping on sleep during the week and sleeping in on the weekends, we can become groggy and tired. This happens in part because our natural circadian rhythm is interfered with.

Even a single hour of “social jetlag” leads to poorer health and is associated with an 11 percent increase in the risk for heart disease according to researchers at the Sleep and Health Program at the University of Arizona.

Additionally, getting less than five or more than eight hours of sleep per night increases the risk of mortality. Knowing this, you might ask if there are any advantages of catching up on sleep on the weekends since missing out on it is so clearly bad.

Well, there might be. Although sticking to a consistent sleep schedule is most important for optimal health, recent research tells us that sleeping in occasionally might also be beneficial.

How Sleeping in Helps Counter Sleep Deprivation

Research published in the Journal of Sleep that assessed the sleeping habits of 43,000 people found that the average amount of sleep a person gets impacts his or her health. It’s better to catch up on missing sleep on the weekends than to not catch up at all since it reduces the average extent and severity of the effects of sleep deprivation,

Another study found that people who did not receive enough sleep on the weekdays but caught up on it over the weekend had a lower body mass index (BMI) than those who didn’t catch up. It’s believed that getting the extra sleep helped to protect against disruption to hormone and metabolic cycles that influence changes in BMI. Experts also think that getting more sleep increases the chances that you’ll practice healthy habits like getting adequate exercise and following a healthy diet.

Yet another study completed by the Division of Sleep and Chronobiology at the University of Pennsylvania found that getting an hour or two of extra sleep boosts brain power. Study participants who had extra sleep after a period of restricted sleep performed better on cognitive tests than those who never got a chance to catch up at all.

The bottom line is that it’s ideal to stay with a steady sleep schedule. But if you can’t, sleeping in on weekends is your next best bet to keeping your health in check. Experts recommend getting at least seven hours of sleep each night to maintain optimal health.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/is-sleeping-in-on-weekends-good-or-bad-for-you

Celebrity Sleep Tips You'll Want to Try

Celebrities definitely need their sleep to do what they do. But like anybody else, some celebs struggle with getting good sleep and look to experts for tips on how to sleep well and wake up feeling energized. Below are some tricks we learned from the stars on how they’re getting a good night’s sleep.

1. Elle Macpherson – Keep a Journal. This fashion supermodel and movie star knows she needs to clear her mind before getting a good night’s rest. Elle keeps a notepad right next to her bed so she can easily jot down any ideas that might keep her mind busy before she nods off to sleep. Sometimes she writes a to-do list and sometimes just random ideas she’ll allow her mind to revisit in the morning.

2. Lea Michele – Have a Relaxing Bath. A talented actress, model and author, Lea Michelle swears by using Epsom salts in a bath before bedtime. She puts them in the bath and soaks for a good 20 minutes before bedtime. The Scream Queens star also likes to complete her evening ritual with a relaxing cup of hot tea and lemon.  

3. Ellen DeGeneres - Meditate. Ellen enjoys practicing transcendental meditation to help prepare herself for sleep. She didn’t think she would benefit as much as she has from it, but now raves that it has completely changed her life. Ellen praises meditation for helping her learn how to sit still and for bringing her an incredibly peaceful feeling each night before bed.

4. Mariah Carey – Get Enough Sleep. Mariah let out her secret of getting fifteen hours of sleep each night to Interview Magazine. While most adults typically only need seven to nine hours of sleep each day, it’s important to listen to your body and ensure you’re getting the right amount of sleep for you. Mariah also enjoys having humidity in her room to help her sleep peacefully, and uses not one, not two, but twenty humidifiers!

5. Eminem - Avoid Blue Light. Eminem might have a tough guy persona, but he certainly prizes his sleep. He avoids keeping electronics near him when he sleeps to prevent exposure to blue light and even wraps tin foil around the blinds in his hotel room to block out any UV light that might be entering.

6. Kim Kardashian - Get a Good Mattress. This media mogul appreciates the value of good sleep and is known to have spent a million dollars on new beds and mattresses. Luckily for us, memory mattresses are affordable and can help you get a comfortable night of sleep.

If these tips are good enough for the celebrities to follow, they are certainly worth trying out to help you get the best sleep possible each night.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/celebrity-sleep-tips-youll-want-to-try

5 Simple Tips for Sleeping Better in a Tent

Love going camping, but can’t sleep well in a tent?

Many people enjoy heading out into nature for a getaway but are somewhat put off by the experience because they can’t get enough sleep. It does take some time to get used to sleeping in a different environment and under a tent, but it also takes proper planning and preparation to make sure you’re setting yourself up in the right way to be comfortable enough to sleep.

Below are some easy tips to help you sleep better in a tent.

1. Bring Appropriate Bedding. When tenting, you need to ensure you bring bedding that’s suitable for the outdoor environment. Choose bedding such as a self-inflating air mattress, airbed or stretcher that will protect you from the cold ground beneath. If you’re using a sleeping bag, make sure it’s the right size and made for the temperatures you are sleeping in. Also, if you have the extra room with you, it’s always a good idea to bring spare quilts and blankets for extra padding and warmth if needed. Finally, don’t forget a pillow. Consider inflatable travel pillows since they’re a convenient option because they don’t take up much space.  

2. Set Up in the Right Spot. Choose a spot with flat, smooth ground to pitch your tent since you don’t want to be lying on rocks or uneven ground. Also, don’t place your tent under trees, where branches and limbs could potentially fall on top of your tent creating a safety hazard. Another good reason not to set up under the trees is to avoid bird droppings falling from above. Consider how far you want to be from the bathroom if there is one. On one hand it might be convenient to be close to these facilities, yet annoying if you have to listen to other campers making bathroom trips throughout the night.

3. Manage Noise and Light. Bring a pair of earplugs, or better yet bring two pairs with you on your camping trip. They help block out distracting sounds such as loud snoring from your camping partner, birds and others passing by. Earplugs are cheap and invaluable when you need quiet to save your sanity. Bring an eye mask. They’re great for blocking out light when you need to sleep, small and easy to pack, and can really make a difference when you need to sleep but are bothered by light. If you use one, don’t forget to bring your mouthpiece to prevent your loud snoring from waking others around you. If your partner uses this device, make sure they bring theirs.

4. Dress for the Weather. Camping can get dirty, so bring enough clothes changes so you can at least go to bed feeling clean. Feeling grimy and dirty is not conducive to a good night’s sleep. Also, bring clothes that you’ll be warm enough in, but not so much that you’ll overheat. If you’re too hot or too cold, you aren’t going to sleep well.

5. Keep Your Tent and Your Belongings Dry. Possibly the most important camping tip - you need to stay dry. You won’t be comfortable or happy if you are sleeping in a wet, soggy tent. So don’t let it happen. Bring along waterproof tarps to use under your tent to prevent water from seeping through your tent seams, and over your tent as a protective canopy from rain.

Camping takes time to get used to since you are sleeping in a very different environment than at home, so don’t stress about it. Give yourself a chance to enjoy the experience and make sure you try out these helpful tips.

source https://goodmorningsnoresolution.com/blogs/news/5-simple-tips-for-sleeping-better-in-a-tent