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31st Jul 2016

Here’s how to have the perfect nap

Nappy days.

Declan Cashin

Is there anything better than a nice old nap?

They have been the salvation of many a weekend night out; a quick minute power nap that gives you just enough of a rest to get your second wind for a night on the tiles*.

*We mean the dance-floor tiles, not the bathroom tiles as you curl up around the loo.

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There’s an art to the nap, however, and luckily the folks at The Art of Wellbeing have produced a guide to hacking the best possible quick sleep.

Here’s their six-step guide to getting it right:

1. Get the length right

The optimal length of a disco nap is 20-30 minutes. This “enhances alertness and concentration, and sharpens motor skills”. That said, 10-15 minutes is deemed good for improved focus and productivity and 40-60 minutes has been shown to boost brain power, memory and learning.

2. Timing is everything

Ideally, you should take your nap between 1pm-3pm, but, realistically, at weekends a lot of us will only be getting up out of bed at that time. In that case, it’s recommended that you take your nap within 6-8 hours of waking up. So if you woke up at 12pm today, you should be taking your name between 6pm-8pm.

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3. Location, Location, Location

Pick a spot with minimal light and noise, and a comfortable temperature. Invest in an eye-mask, as light inhibits melatonin, which controls sleepiness. It might also be worth investing in a hammock, as it’s believed the gentle swaying helps you to doze off.

4. Do be alarmed

Set your alarm for your wake-up time and STICK TO IT.

5. Drink a coffee beforehand

This is an interesting one. Because it takes about 20-30 minutes for the caffeine effect from coffee to kick in, theoretically drinking a coffee before your nap means it will deliver your buzz just as you’re waking up, making it easier to rouse from your nap.

6. Shake it off

Avoid the post-nap grogginess by having caffeine, exposing yourself to bright light, and washing your face.

Now you should be all set for your night out.

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Topics:

Naps,Sleep