We live in a fast-paced world, with extremely tight schedules and even higher expectations, and with the obvious that one day has only 24 hours that often leaves us no voice but to sacrifice sleep. Once you start to do this, your body will go into a restless cycle where you sleep during the day out of exhaustion and work during the night. But it’s not all bad, there are certain benefits that go with regular sleep and with napping as well – but it’s suggested that you do a bit of both and not switch one with the other! So here is the difference in benefits of sleeping compared to napping!
What impacts your sleep
Before anything else, it’s important to note that sleep is crucial for our existence. Our bodies wouldn’t be able to function properly without sleep. Apart from all the things that are making us tired in general, sleep is used to reset our bodies and rest both mentally and physically. But obviously, everyone is different and thus it can be hard to tell how much rest a person needs, and how much do people get tired from doing certain things. Some people suffer from certain conditions that don’t allow them to fall asleep that easily, whilst others suffer from stress. All these things can greatly influence the need and ability to sleep regardless of the amount of sleep or the time of day you are trying to fall asleep!
The benefits of sleeping
As you know, sleep is mandatory in our existence, but even so, there is not a universal number of hours you should sleep, but one thing is clear – you need to sleep during the night in order to rest properly! Since everyone is different, due to age, level of activities, and general tiredness, as you can see from https://puffy.com/blogs/wellness/sleep-calculator-want-to-know-the-best-time-to-sleep-wake-up, it’s best to calculate what’s your ideal sleeping cycle. This is pretty important, as it can help you establish a good sleeping pattern while giving you the needed rest. Some people prefer to sleep for 5 hours whilst others like to sleep for 8, it all depends on your individual self! The thing with sleep is that your body is naturally drawn to resting during the night, and also lots of hormones and mechanisms are done while you’re in deep sleep during the night.
Types of napping
Napping is normal, regardless if you are a toddler or a grown adult – everyone gets tired after a long day! But there is actually not one, universal type of nap, there are a few types of naps that are recognized as giving different results on your body. Depending on your needs and the amount of time you have, it will also determine what kind of nap will suit your needs. If you are in a hurry but need the extra rest before your studying session – drink a cup of coffee and quickly try to take a nap. This will surely boost your energy levels, and also you’ll get the extra kick once the caffeine starts working in your body! But remember, naps should be quick, so don’t oversleep, 20 minutes is more than enough to recharge your batteries during the day!
The benefits of napping
There are lots of benefits of napping, any kind of rest is bound to be beneficial one way or another. People often either ignore the signs of tiredness, or they opt for multiple cups of coffee or energy drinks, but taking a simple nap is way better and more natural than anything else! Obviously, a nap can’t replenish or replace some of the benefits of deep sleep, but a good nap can certainly make you feel way better, more refreshed, and ready to continue with your daily activities! The 20-minute mark naps are absolutely the best, anything past that can be considered sleeping during the day – and that’s a whole nother topic to discuss. You should definitely add naps to your daily schedule or at least indulge in them more often, especially when feeling tired or worn out – taking 15-20 minutes out of your day can do a lot in the long run!
The cons of napping
Obviously, just like anything, there are lots of cons when it comes to napping. Nowadays, it’s totally normal to switch your night and day routine due to the hectic schedules of work or school, but sleeping during the day and being active during the night can truly be detrimental in the long run. People often rely on quick naps during the day – and they do work in refreshing the body, any sleep is still better than no sleep, right? While this might be true, it’s better to focus on getting enough sleep when you should be sleeping in the first place! As mentioned, it’s crucial to get your rest during the night, like your body is supposed to, rather than forcing yourself and being exhausted. If you sleep for multiple hours during the day instead of night, it can change your sleeping pattern entirely!
Why we need both
The bottom line is we need both sleep and naps! Actually, any kind of rest is welcomed nowadays since a lot of people simply don’t do it as much. Back in the day, it was completely normal to take a nap after lunch or after you come back from work – it was pretty much mandatory! But that doesn’t mean you should solely rely on naps and cut your 8 hours of sleep at night! Make sure it’s in moderation! Even if you do sleep well during the night, you might get exhausted naturally during the day, so it’s completely fine to take a nap from time to time – focusing on your health is important and no other task should replace it!
In recent years, with the rise of grind culture. Lack of sleep and rest, in general, completely lost their value. People would rather grab a coffee or an energy drink instead of a quick nap or going to bed early. This can create lots of problems in the long run, so adding more sleep and focusing on resting your body both mentally and physically is a must!
Photo by bruce mars on Unsplash
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