Issue link: http://cp.revolio.com/i/634167
Health and Wellness Magazine • 39 This is especially true for those with sleep disorders and those who already experience difficulty falling and staying asleep. Yet, try as we might, sometimes catching the right amount of zzz's just doesn't happen. That's when to go for some daytime shut-eye. "When your nocturnal sleep is not as good as it can be, a nap can be helpful," says Tsai. "If you are sleepy and need to be alert, especially for safety reasons, take one." Nap Facts A power nap should be only 10 to 20 minutes long, experts say. Longer, deeper slumbers cause unwanted side effects, such as ''sleep drunkenness' or "sleep inertia," that grogginess or lethargy experienced upon awakening. Long naps can also make it difficult to fall and stay asleep at night. To boost alertness from your nap even more, consume coffee or another caffeine product just before you nod off. The caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, just in time to reduce sleep inertia upon waking. "People get double the alertness from both the nap and caffeine," Slamowitz says. Tsai recommends taking a nap between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., which coincides with the natural dip in people's circadian rhythm based on a 7 a.m. wakeup and 11 p.m. bedtime. Circadian rhythm dips and rises throughout the day, and adults' strongest drive for sleep generally occurs during that window, as well as between 2 a.m. and 4 a.m. The magnitude of sleepiness during these circadian dips is usually more intense when you are sleep-deprived. To get a quality nap, Tsai also advises finding a quiet, isolated place away from distractions and people that's cool with dim or dark lighting. For people at work, this may mean a quick lunch and some shut-eye behind a closed office door or in their car. Aging adults, whose sleep is often more disrupted than younger people's because of frequent bathroom trips, medical conditions, and medication side effects, are also prime power- napping candidates. Older adults should follow the same rules, Tsai says. In 2015, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention declared insufficient sleep a public health problem because of its link to increased automobile crashes, industrial disasters, and medical and other occupational errors.