Napping Is Healthy…Especially After Time Change

If you are feeling a bit sleepy and dragging through your workday, it's not your imagination. Many of us are tired from having lost that hour of sleep over the weekend.  That's why today is known as National Napping Day - the first day after we've all moved our clocks ahead one hour for Daylight Savings.

With our busy lives and schedules, many of us don’t get the required amount of sleep our bodies and brains need.  And since we lost an hour yesterday, we're starting the work week with 'sleep debt' that will need to be repaid if we want to feel truly rested.

The solution is simple: take a nap!

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a 20-30 minute nap is a healthy way boost your mood, level of alertness, and work performance.  So put away stimulants like coffee and energy drinks (that give you a quick boost, but can actually prevent you from getting a good night's sleep later) and take a nap to feel refreshed, re-energized, and de-stressed.  If that doesn't work with your schedule, a 5-10 minute "power nap" could still be beneficial.

Is napping part of your daily routine?  Or is it a luxury you afford yourself only on weekends or vacations?

Do you have a favorite place for napping such as a couch, comfy chair, or perhaps an Ocean County beach?