A Sleep Doctor’s Top Four Rules for the Perfect Nap

Need to catch up on sleep this weekend?  A nice long nap might help . . . or will it?  A sleep doctor listed their top four tips for the perfect nap.  And sleeping too long might not actually help you in the long run.

1.  Keep it short.  20 to 30 minutes is ideal.  Any longer than that can keep you up at night.  He says the best time to take a nap is between 1:00 and 3:00 P.M.

2.  Get comfortable.  A bed is ideal.  Though, some experts say couches are better, because your bed might encourage you to nap too long.  Either way, just don’t fall asleep in a chair.  It should be a short nap, but a good one.

3.  Get the lighting and temperature just right.  60 to 67 degrees is perfect.  You don’t need a pitch-black room, but dim lighting is good.

4.  Be careful with coffee.  You may not be able to nap if you drink it too late in the morning.  Though, some experts say drinking it RIGHT before a nap can be good.  Caffeine takes 30 minutes to metabolize.  So if you chug some coffee and immediately fall asleep, you’ll wake up feeling VERY energized. 

(NY Post)