Do Adults Need To Nap? – The Art of Healthy Living

It is recommended that young children take naps to give them energy throughout the day and promote healthy growth. However, do adults still need to take naps? Though many adults should be able to push through the day, there are a few times when it can be beneficial to take a nap. Let’s take a closer look at why you might need a nap as an adult.

What Is A Good Nap?

A nap should always be a booster and not a replacement for a full night’s sleep. Your sleep at night is one of the most important gifts you can give to your body. Don’t think that just because you have had an hour’s nap you can then miss out on an hour of sleep in the night. You need to ensure that you are getting the right sleep for you.

A big part of this will be selecting the best nap length for you. If you want to have a power nap to sharpen up your mind, it might be better to keep the nap to under twenty minutes. Likewise, if you want to feel a bit more creative, or you need to concentrate a little harder, the best nap length might be closer to ninety minutes. It is all relative, and you need to ensure that you have selected the right nap length for you and your needs.

Sleep Deprivation

If you have not slept very well in the past few weeks, then you might want to have a few naps to boost yourself and help you get back on track. Dealing with the effects of sleep deprivation is never fun, but a nap can help us to sharpen up and feel a little more alert. If you know that you have a little sleep debt, taking a nap during the day can help you to complete the day more effectively than if you were to try something alternative like caffeine to stay awake.

However, at the same time, you should be trying to fix your sleep schedule and seeing how you can improve your sleep at night. This is the best time to get some shut-eye. Getting into a pattern of fragmented sleep at night and naps during the day might not be realistic to maintain. Though sleep deprivation is not easy to manage, a nap at the right time can make it feel a lot easier.

After Exercise

Many people who train heavily find it beneficial to take a nap after they exercise. Once we have exerted our muscles, our body releases chemicals that calms us down and prepares our muscles for repair. For this reason, those who like to exercise then follow up their training session with a quick nap.

This can help to promote both fat loss and muscle growth, and can help to combat some of the fatigue that an adult can face after they have exercised. Not everyone wants to go to exercise late at night and then hop into bed. Exercising in the middle of the day and then napping to combat the immediate fatigue of a workout can be an option that would suit many.

Professional Needs

If you work in an industry that has a physical demand, it can be a good idea to get a nap every now and then when you can as it will allow you to keep your energy levels up so you can fulfil your job to your fullest capabilities. Some industries need you to be on your feet for hours at a time, and you might also need to do heavy lifting in that time.

For example, you might work in a hospitality sector that has split shifts. This means that you could work a few hours in the morning, have the afternoon off, and then need to return to work again in the evening. Obviously, you need to maintain the same level of energy for both shifts. A nap can be the ideal way for you to do so. Together with a good night’s rest between each day, you should have the energy needed to complete your working day.

Do Adults Need To Nap?

So, do adults need to nap? This mainly comes down to the circumstances of the individual. One person might be able to work the entire day without needing to go to sleep, others might need a little top up to help them complete their tasks effectively. It all comes down to what works best for you.

If you think that you might benefit from a nap, you should see how one could boost your day. It doesn’t matter that you are an adult – sometimes we just need a little extra to help us get through. Though it might seem strange to you if you have not napped since you were a child, it could be just the thing you need.