We all tend to hit that midday slump when all we want to do is hide under our desk with a blanket and hot water bottle.
These gloomy winter days can drain every ounce of energy out of you. We have been drinking more and more coffee to try and keep ourselves awake post-lunchtime, however, there is one thing other than coffee that is just as good at keeping the tiredness at bay.
A study conducted at the Adelaide Institute for Sleep Health, Flinders University has discovered that having a nap in the afternoon has the similar benefits as drinking a cup of coffee.
Dr Nicole Lovato said having a short snooze rather than your regular afternoon Americano is better for you as your sleeping pattern won’t be interrupted at night time, due to the lack of caffeine in your system.
Having a nap may be the best and cheapest solution when you’re feeling sleepy, but how long should we nap for? There have been times when we’ve rested our eyes for what we believe to be ten minutes but ended up waking up two hours later in a confused daze.
Dr Lovato stated that dozing off for at least an hour will leave you feeling more alert and focused, however, the longer the nap the better.
“Naps are not only beneficial because they make us feel less sleepy and more alert, but because they improve our cognitive functioning, reaction times, short-term memory and even our mood,” she added.
However, finding the time to nap isn’t as easy as it was when we were students. Mummy duties tend to take up a huge chunk of our time, so some of us will just have to settle for a quick power nap.
Dr Lovato shared, “Power naps are great because you won't experience any sluggish or drowsy feelings after waking.”
Both an hour-long slumber on the sofa and a ten-minute snooze will make you feel a lot better, plus it’ll help combat the coffee addiction that is brewing. Say goodbye to cappuccinos and hello to siestas!
