Take a nap!

After writing my last blog about drowsy driving and the effects of sleep deprivation it made me think about my own sleep schedule some more. I have always though I was very off because I often go to bed late and I usually need to get up early. I only get around 5-6 hours of sleep a night so by mid afternoon I am exhausted. At this point I usually will take a nap anywhere from 1-2 hours. I usually feel better once I wake up but sometimes I feel even more drowsy than before. I came across and interesting article from US Health that talks about napping and how many advantages you can get from a quick nap. Naps reduce drowsiness and mood swings. They can help make up for sleep you missed during the previous night, they increase brain function by keeping you more alert. Some work places such as pizza hut, Nike, British airways and Google are even offering there employees reclining chairs and renewal rooms where there employees can get a quick nap in on their breaks. I started to think about my napping schedule and am going to try just a 30 minute nap to see just how revived I feel. Napping helps keep your immune system from shutting down when you are lacking sleep. It can give you just enough of a boost to complete your day and stay focused. After reading this article I don't feel as bad about looking forward to my daily naps but I will try to shorten them to see if it cures the grogginess that I feel after my two hour slumber. To read more about naps and how they are being implemented in the workplace as well as others click the link. NAP!