9 Benefits of Taking A Nap Everyday

Although almost everyone needs something to keep them alert and active during their work or school days, many people will choose coffee or energy drinks as a quick way to get energy. What your body really needs is a nap. A nap might take more time than downing a Red Bull, but just 30 minutes of napping will give you so much more than an energy drink can.

Lowers Your Anxiety Levels

Did you know that just knowing that you are going to take a nap can actually lower your blood pressure level? Your body starts to relax and shut down because it knows it will be getting a break soon. Do yourself a favor and put a nap into your schedule.

Increases Creativity

Napping creates a burst of activity in the right hemisphere of your brain, the side linked to creative thinking. If you’re stuck on a problem, try taking a nap.  You may wake up with the perfect answer.

Help Manage Blood Pressure

Daytime napping can speed up heart recovery after very stressful periods.  Researchers have even discovered that a 45 minute nap lowers blood pressure. 

Fountain of Youth

The closest thing we have to the Fountain of Youth is sleep.  When you sleep your skin cells rejuvenate, making you look younger.  Do your skin a favor and add napping to your daily schedule. 

Restores Alertness

According to a study conducted by NASA, a nap of just 40 minutes is enough to restore your alertness to 100 percent. Other studies suggest that a very brief nap is more beneficial to improving the alertness of the human body than drinking a cup of coffee or an energy drink is.

Boosts Your Memory

Just a 20 minute nap can do wonders for your brain according to a number of different studies. During the day, your brain has to process a lot of information. That 20 minute nap gives your brain a chance to catch up and finish processing the information it has already taken in for the day.

Prevents Burnout

It is not uncommon for a person to refuse to go to sleep for the night because of how much work they have to get done. If you find yourself in that position, you should at least consider taking a nap. Long spurts of being awake overload your brain with information and actually make it more difficult for you to be productive.

Saves You Money

Stop and think about how much money you spend in a week on energy drinks and coffees. Take one week off from the energy drinks and coffee to try taking a couple naps every day. Do the math and see how much money you did not spend on coffee and energy drinks for just one week; it adds up.

Improves Your Overall Health

When you lack sleep, your body releases a hormone that is called cortisol. It is known as the stress hormone and it weakens your muscles, stifles your ability to process thoughts, and stunts your growth. When you sleep, your body releases a growth hormone which boosts your immune system and counteracts cortisol.

Reduces Stress

Working long hours and not taking a nap is something a person does because he or she has too much work. Having all that work is enough to make anyone feel stressed. Too much stress is unhealthy for your body and taking a nap is the easiest way to turn off your body’s ability to stress.

Boosts Your Energy

Have you ever noticed that somewhere in the middle of your day your energy just disappears? Both physically and mentally, a person experiences an energy dip roughly halfway through their day. Taking a 30 minute nap in the middle of the day will give your body a chance to rejuvenate the energy you lost.

Improves Your Mood

Studies show that while you nap your brain is soaked in serotonin. Serotonin is a neurotransmitter that controls your sleep, appetite, and mood. It is what allows you to feel happy and relaxed.