Power Nap Beauty Sleep

When people talk about taking what is called �the beauty sleep,� some of them take a derisive tone to it, as if the beauty sleep is something only sissies and fussy females take. The derisive attitude that some people take to taking naps is not only unwarranted but is definitely wrong.

When we do not have enough sleep, it shows in our bodies. The most evident sign of lack of sleep are the dark circles and the heavy bags under our eyes. Other outward signs include dull skin and limp, lifeless hair. But more importantly, people who continually lack sleep experience deterioration of their short-term memories and impairment of their vision. People who do not get enough sleep also have slowed down reaction time and have difficulty in processing information. Lack of sleep also derails work performance and proper judgment. People who do not sleep as much as they should also do not show a lot of motivation and patience.

Our bodies need seven to eight hours of sleep every day. Too little sleep harms our bodies; but then again, so does too much sleep. What is more is that sleep is cumulative. You miss your sleep tonight and it shows on you tomorrow. You miss your sleep tomorrow night, and you will feel the effects of two nights without proper sleep. Continue along this path and you will have sleep deficit, which will lead to the harmful effects listed above.

It is understandable that sometimes our schedule does not permit us to sleep a full eight hours of it. In that case, we should make time to get a power nap in the afternoon, particularly around eight hours after we have woken up. It seems the natural thing to do, anyway. You must have observed it with your own body � we generally get drowsy in the afternoon, around eight hours after we have been awake.

A good power nap lasts for around fifteen to 30 minutes. According to research, taking power naps in the afternoon have more benefits for the body than taking an extra hour of sleep in the morning. The rest that the body gets from power naps greatly reduces stress and improves the cognitive powers of the mind.

Some people complain that they feel more groggy after taking naps. That is why it is recommended for naps to take only fifteen to 30 minutes. The longer our naps take, the deeper our sleep gets and the harder it is to wake up. If you are really tired, it would be better for you to get a full sleep in the afternoon if you can.

But whether you can take a nap in the afternoon or not, there are some things you can still do to make sure that you get the sleep that you need. Among these things is avoiding the consumption of caffeine after 3pm. Caffeine stays in the system for four to six hours and therefore keeps your body stimulated for that length of time. If your body is awake, you cannot really force yourself to sleep.

If your schedule only allows you, say, five minutes for a nap, take it. Five minutes is better than nothing. Just closing your eyes gives you enough rest to get you through the day. If you do not want to oversleep, set an alarm.

Taking a beauty sleep, or a power nap if you will, is something one should not raise eyebrows at. Taking a beauty sleep not only makes us beautiful, but more importantly, it keeps our bodies and minds healthy, alert and awake.