Napping is really good. Ask anyone who takes one. A good nap can mean the difference between an okay day and a fantastic day. The body needs sleep. In fact, the body loves sleep. Taking a nap is a special way to work a little extra sleep into the day. Whether you are getting a full 6-9 hours of sleep a night or struggling to get close to 6, a nap can help you feel rejuvenated. Naps have been proven through research to provide an extra mental boost, help with sleep, and enhance focus.
Unfortunately, napping can get out of hand. Too much extra sleep can cause insomnia and throw off your energy for the day. There is an art to napping. Learning to nap in an efficient and productive day can help you to lead with your best foot forward during treatment. Treatment and early recovery can include a lot of napping. During the therapeutic process, the body and the mind are exhausted. Napping can feel like it is essential for the soul. After years of exhausting the body’s natural resources, napping during the early months of recovery are a wonderful way to make up for that. However, many undergo the criticism that they nap too much. Sleeping is certainly better than drinking or using drugs. When taking naps and sleeping gets in the way of actual recovery, it becomes a problem. Napping can be part of the work to heal. Avoiding group therapy, sleeping through meetings, or not doing homework from a therapist is problematic.
Here are some other tips for napping:
- 20 minute power naps are more powerful than you might imagine. It’s just enough time to let your brain reach a deep state of sleep without going too deep. Instead, your brain gets a quick power boost and feels well rested.
- 90 minute or longer naps can be a detriment to your nighttime sleep, which leaves you more tired the next day and needing another long nap. Keep your naps under 90 minutes to manage your sleep efficiently.
- 4p.m. should be your cutoff for napping. The later into the evening you get, the more confused your body is. Your body actually knows how to prepare for nighttime.
- Napping is better done out of want than necessity. You can’t actually make up for lost sleep through napping, even though you can give yourself an energy boost. Staying up late for the sake of “taking a nap tomorrow” might be worse for you in the long run. Choose to nap to refresh your mind and reset your body.
Healing and wellness is for mind, body, and spirit. Avalon Malibu is committed to helping each client find balance in their lives through clinical treatment and holistic healing. For a confidential assessment and more information, call 1 888-958-7511
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