What does Winston Churchill, Dalai Lama, my nan and I have in common? Our love of naps. Churchill is credited with coining the phase ‘Power Nap’, Nanny Kit called them noganeeses, I love a little lie down LLD. According to David Randall, the author of Dreamland, even a short nap “primes our brains to function at a higher level, letting us come up with better ideas, find solutions to puzzles more quickly, identify patterns faster and recall information more accurately” How long to nap? According to NASA, for peak performance and alertness, the best nap time is actually 26 minutes. Although longer or shorter is ok too. Until my daughter was 3 she napped for 3 hours a day, then a 12 hour night sleep. Now only in cars.
I love naps, the disco nap was a must, around 5-7pm, to give more energy for a late night. I get tired around 2pm and ‘rest my eyes’ for 30 mins most days. I’m travelling in a car whilst typing and I’ll need a nap soon, wish I’d remembered the new neck support to stop the head nod. Trains same problem, however an ideal time to catch a few extra zzz. A nap makes up for a broken nights sleep and there is research to show a 30 minute nap will improve your nights sleep. When is it best to nap? A post lunch nap in the early afternoon to recharge for the rest of the day. Or early evening if going out out. How to nap? Close your eyes, sit comfortably with your head rested, lying on a sofa, in bed; fully dressed or some like to unclothe, it all depends on your when and where. Try a Little Lie Down and see how your mood improves, boosts your energy, deepens your night sleep and your memory sharper. Sweet dreams and a little nap music , sounds of the ocean. Have a great weekend, whatever you do. Love love love, Cxxx