Katherine Latham
Find time for a nap
In many countries, having a catnap is part of daily life. An afternoon siesta is a common ritual in Spain, for example, while in Japan, workers often enjoy an afternoon sleep, known as hirune.
Research shows that habitual naps can help keep our brains bigger for longer, which can delay brain ageing by between three to six years. Preserving your brain size for as long as possible is important as shrinkage has been linked to diseases such as Alzheimer’s and vascular dementia. Short naps, lasting five to 15 minutes, can immediately improve how well we perform mentally, with the stimulus lasting for up to three hours after we wake up.
How do you make sure that your afternoon nap leaves you feeling energised and not more tired than you were to begin with?
Timing is key. Try to keep your naps less than 20 minutes. If you exceed this time, you’ll find yourself falling into deep sleep and you’re likely to wake up feeling groggy and disoriented.
The best time for a cat nap is between 14:00-16:00 as this is when there is a dip in your circadian rhythm and your body temperature starts to fall. During the morning, it is still rising, making you more alert. If you leave it too late in the day, you might disrupt your sleep at night.
Read more about the health benefits of napping in this article by Isabelle Gerretsen.
Isabelle Gerretsen
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