As a college student, I can confidently say that napping is something that most of our demographic does pretty well. Whether we're making up for an all-nighter or just catching up on snoozing during our free time, napping is a common college activity across the nation.
It's easy to feel lazy as you crawl into your bed for a nap when you could be finishing up homework or getting ahead on reading for class, but a study recently proved that a 30-minute nap can actually reverse the hormonal impact that comes from a night of poor sleep.
If you still haven't mastered the art of time management or you spent the night cramming for your exam, schedule in that short power nap because it is worth it.
If you've found yourself buried in books until the early hours, know that you're not alone. The study also found that nearly 10 adults reported that they slept six hours or less per night, clearly missing out on the benefits that can be reaped from sleeping for the recommended eight hours of sleep.
Powering through with no sleep can be hard, so make sure to carve time out of your schedule for some quick yet serious rest. Power naps have also shows to help relieve stress and improve the immune systems. While this data comes from men who only slept two hours the previous night, it was made clear that power naps can truly turn things around. Even if you feel like you're overwhelmed with work, if you're running low on sleep, skip out on resorting to caffeine and allow yourself to fit a 30-minute nap into your schedule.
Everything we do in our daily routine can be pointed back towards our sleep patterns, so cramming in the power nap is just as important as cramming in the studying the night before.
Here's how to prepare for the perfect power nap:
1. Before you crawl into bed, make a short to-do list so you don't wake up feeling stressed. While it's important to make time for some rest and rejuvenation, it's a terrible feeling to wake up feeling unproductive and cloudy. Making a to-do list will make you feel structured and organized when you're ready to get going again.
2. When you're thinking about location for your nap, make sure you're somewhere where you won't be woken up. Aim for your bed instead of the couch of your living room or the love seat by the TV, because nothing is worse than an interrupted power nap. If you're in the room with you're door shut, you're bound to actually fall asleep without interruption.
3. Limit your distractions. Don't crawl into bed with your iPad or phone in hand because technological distractions will prevent you from falling asleep quickly. The bright screen will keep your mind and eyes awake longer, and that means less time for that well-deserved shuteye.
4. Even if you think you're just going to close your eyes for a few minutes, make sure you set an alarm so your 30-minute nap doesn't accidentally turn into a 3-hour snooze fest.
5. Be sure to make the room dark and quiet. You don't have much time to catch up on your Z's, so make sure you've created the ideal environment for your nap.
Next time you take your power nap, remember these tips and snooze away! Trust me, the health benefits totally make it worth it.