Older adults (65+) do not sleep as well as younger adults. And it’s not that older adults need less sleep, rather they are unable to generate the sleep that they still need.
Can the practice of afternoon naps make up for this lose of sleep at night? An observational study published online Jan. 25, 2021, by General Psychiatry looked at 2,214 healthy people ages 60 and older in China, where afternoon naps are common. The participants were asked about whether they napped at least five minutes after lunch. Two-thirds took naps, and the others did not. The research found that cognitive function was generally boosted for the nappers.
If you do nap, it’s best to schedule naps for the early afternoon, keep them under 30 minutes (use a timer so you don’t oversleep), and try to nap several times during the week.
I love the afternoon nap, and I learned some excellent tips from this Mayo Clinic article:
- Keep naps short. Aim to nap for only 10 to 20 minutes.
- Take naps in the early afternoon.
- Create a restful environment.
So is napping good for you or not? It’s an individual thing. Read the articles and see what applies to you. If a nap refreshes you, go ahead and indulge, just not for too long.
As always I hope this post has been useful for you. Please let me know your thoughts
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