In my book, Answers In The Dark, I make the case that in the UK (and actually potentially most of the West) we are a nation of poor sleepers. According to this report, one in five of us don’t sleep well, and it’s the second most common health complaint after pain. As well as the impact on our Mental Health, The Guardian also reported in November 2016 that poor sleep is costing the country billions.
Which is why, when a national holiday for sleeping mysteriously came about in 2011, it would make perfect sense to embrace it. After all, we’re probably already falling asleep on buses and trains given the opportunity, so we might as well take a day to celebrate it (as long as it’s safe to do so, obviously). Not least of all because power naps (as for sleep in general) can be helpful in reducing stress, improving your immune system and enhancing memory.
According to the National Day Calendar there are different types of naps.
Power Naps (10-20 minutes) ideal for a quick ‘fix’ of sleep without the groggy side effects, The Hangover Nap (about 30 minutes) long, The Brainiac (60 minutes) which can feel similar to a hangover (I talk about the Hangover Effect in the video below), and the California King (a full 90 -minute sleep cycle) which can help you feel efficiently rested.
If your naps are having an impact on how well you sleep at night, it’s important to think about whether or not you can push through until bedtime. Going for a walk and getting some fresh air might help.
If you feel the benefit of a daytime nap though, especially if you feel you’re sleep deprived and/or work shifts – and you feel rested and healthy for it, it makes sense to catch some z’s where you can. .
Remember to speak to your doctor about any concerns you have with your sleep. Happy napping.
Delphi is the author of Answers In The Dark: Grief, Sleep and How Dreams Can Help You Heal, out now on Amazon and Hive. The Dreams Maven™ is part of the Helping You Sparkle™ portfolio. You might also like Monday Mojo™.
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The 4 am Mystery: That’s an actual thing by the way. Even before a global health crisis, people found themselves awake in the middle of the night. Answers In The Dark aims to join the dots between sleep, dreams and our mental health, specifically how grief shows up, even if no one has died.
It explores some of the Big Myths of sleep, offers a Sleep Cycle Repair Kit and tips on how to decode your own dreams. Out now on Amazon and Hive.
#1 Best Seller on Amazon for its category.
© Delphi Ellis 2023 – please note this content may also appear elsewhere as promotional material for Answers In The Dark.
The Dreams Maven ™ 
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