When 2 o’clock rolls around, most people feel a little tired. Especially on the weekend, when you don’t have work, it’s awfully tempting to lie down on the couch and take a nap. But then, on Sunday night when you have yet another bad sleep, you wonder how you’re going to face a whole week already behind in rest.
An infrequent nap here and there shouldn’t completely derail your sleep schedule, but if you are consistently napping while facing a sleep disorder, you are actively sabotaging your nightly rest.
When Naps Aren’t Beneficial
Although plenty of research indicates that short, occasional naps can be helpful and refreshing, for those who struggle with sleeping at night, snoozing during the day can make an existing problem worse. Instead of catching up on sleep debt, you can actually dig the deficit deeper and make falling and staying asleep more difficult when bedtime comes around.
In fact, a 30-minute nap can lead to hours of low-quality or no sleep. As a result, most sleep experts discourage taking naps and focus on improving patients’ nighttime rest and helping them achieve seven to nine hours of quality sleep.
How to Take Naps
If you choose to take a nap during the day and have a sleep disorder, make sure you do what you would normally do at night, whether that’s wear a CPAP mask, wear an oral appliance, or both. After all, your breathing can stop any time you sleep, even when it’s not dark outside.
Also, try to avoid napping for longer than 30 minutes. Sleeping during the day for a significant amount of time will likely interfere with your ability to get to sleep that night, even for those who don’t have a disorder.
How to Have Better Nighttime Sleep
If you have trouble with daytime fatigue and sleeping at night, you may need to talk to experts. A sleep study may reveal that you have sleep apnea, insomnia, or another disorder. Once you know what the problem is, you can receive the right treatment to address your symptoms. Those who treat their sleep disorders and follow instructions can experience fewer interruptions at night and get the rest they need.
To maximize the quality of your sleep at night on your own, you should avoid phones and other screens for at least 30 minutes before you go to bed. You can do a relaxing activity like reading a book or doing basic yoga. You can also make sure the room is at a comfortable temperature for deep sleep, which is between 65- and 68-degrees Fahrenheit according to the Sleep Foundation.
Ultimately, it may be difficult to resist the urge to take a nap, but having consistently fuller, deeper sleep at night may be worth the sacrifice for those who have sleep disorders.
About the Practice
Star Sleep & Wellness in Irving is one of five offices in the Dallas-Fort Worth area that offers start-to-finish sleep support. We offer sleep testing and treatment in one convenient office as well as access to various sleep experts, including a sleep physician, a nurse practitioner, sleep dentist, and psychologist. This means that, regardless of the cause of your sleep troubles, we can help! To schedule an appointment at our Irving practice, visit our Contact Us page here.