News Taffy

Think you’re past the age of needing to nap? Think again, because nearly one third of Americans don’t get nearly enough sleep on a regular basis. Lack of sleep contributes to a host of problems including obesity and even heart disease. Napping for as little as 15 minutes can have a profound effect on your day. Best of all, Monday March 14th is National Napping Day, set aside so you can recover from the move to daylight savings time. Let’s get ready to celebrate by learning more about sleep deprivation and the need for rest.

Here are some telltale signs you are sleep deprived, some of which you may not realize are related to a lack of shut eye:

-you fall asleep at night within 5 minutes of your head hitting the pillow
-worse, you fall asleep while driving, a more common problem than you’d like to think
-you’re more impulsive than usual such as buying something expensive you’d normally pass up
-your creativity falls off
-your ability to think and speak slows and you use cliches to fill in gaps in the conversation
-you’re more forgetful than usual
-you’re starving and you crave carbs; this is because the hormone which regulates hunger is adversely affected by lack of sleep
-you’re clumsy and uncoordinated when doing tasks like typing
-you are unable to concentrate
-you find yourself fighting more often with your significant other, or otherwise unable to regulate your emotions; think how cranky toddlers are when they miss a nap
-you fall asleep during a movie, or in a dull or quiet environment like church
-you get a second wind at 9:30 p.m. which is a result of your body’s effort to readjust itself to a normal sleep pattern

When we go without sleep long enough, we can start to experience “microsleeps”, 3 to 15 second periods of sudden sleep. This could prove dangerous if you are driving or operating machinery. So it is important to find ways to improve both the quality and quantity of the sleep you get.

Studies have proven that napping can decrease stress and can be good for your heart and that those who get enough sleep are less likely to struggle with their weight. Napping boosts productivity so rather than pushing through a long day, perhaps a short nap would get better results. A catnap is also better than a caffeinated beverage because caffeine can actually decrease memory performance. A 20 minute power nap can improve alertness and motor skills like typing; longer naps up to an hour help boost memory, creativity and decision making skills. Thus the old advice, “sleep on it” before making a big decision! Sleeping long enough to get REM sleep, usually 60 to 90 minutes, improves the brain’s ability to make new connections and solve problems.

Napping can lift your spirits and is an accepted part of many cultures. In America, we tend to view those cultures as lazy but in reality, they are one up on us. To maximize your rest time, try napping at the same time each day, in a darkened room. Have a light blanket nearby in case you get chilled. Set an alarm so you don’t sleep too long. I bet you’ll see results immediately!