I know they say a 30-minute "power nap" is good for you during the day, but what

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   Faith Reaperposted 9 years ago

   I know they say a 30-minute "power nap" is good for you during the day, but what if you sleep longer
   
   30-minute "power naps" are supposed to be good for you during the day, but what if you sleep a lot longer than the 30 minutes, is that then bad for your health?  I do not take "power naps" during the week at work, as I just cannot sleep in that atmosphere, but on the weekends I will take a nap in the afternoon.  Sometimes though, I will sleep a bit longer than the 30 minutes and wonder if that is actually bad for one's health.  I set the alarm, but turn it off and mean to get up but I must drift back to sleep.  Thank you for clarifying this issue.
   
   

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   Tusitala Tomposted 9 years ago

   I doubt that an oversleep will be bad for one's health, unless done to extreme.  Years ago I did night-shift jobs where I trained myself to take nineteen-minute sleeps.  We were obliged to send out a message on a tele-printer network every twenty minutes to ensure the lines were operating okay.   After quite a short will I would wake up exactly in time to receive and resend the 'check' messages.    You can train yourself to sleep for specific periods of time.
   
   However, the natural hours of daylight and darkness are the hours in which our body's metabolism functions best regarding sleep.  Try to get your 7 or 8 or 9 hours -whatever is right for you - between sunset and dawn  if you can.   If you cannot, then I don't see the naps and little over-sleeps as deleterious in any way.

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thank you so much, Tom, for taking time to answer.  Yes, my husband was in the Air Force and he trained himself to do the same thing and can just wake up without an alarm after a short nap.  I will not be concerned about the longer naps then.

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   Jackie Lynnleyposted 9 years ago

   Lately I have been taking about an hours nap in the evenings (not all but often) and worried it would keep me from sleeping at night but it hasn't at all. I think maybe as we age we really do need a power nap or a real relaxed rest time. I don't think our bodies need to keep going a fast pace for too may hours without resting. In fact I have read that but I don't recall where. Maybe with more rest I will remember. lol

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Jackie, it does not keep me from sleeping at night either. I guess our bodies let us know when we need more rest, especially after having a busy week.

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   loveafricaposted 9 years ago

   I think as long as it is natural- no alarms involved its okay.

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Loveafrica, Thank you for answering. Yes, if you do not have to wake up and can just sleep and wake up naturally does sound best.

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   arksysposted 9 years ago

   extra sleep is never bad for your health ... many neuroscientists talk about  sleep being a very important for personal wellness.
   
   "an average person sleeps for 36% of their lives. so if a person lives to see the age of 90 then they would have slept for 32 years of their life. this shows that sleep really is important yet we don't give it a second thought".
   ~Russell Foster
   
   while you sleep the body restoring genes kick in and restoration of your body takes place ... your brain functions also improve (better memory, increase in creativity, re-wiring your thoughts etc.) .. A lot goes on in the brain and body when we are asleep.
   
   if you are drifting back to sleep that means your body needs it. listen to your body.

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, wow, Irfan, thank you for the great insight into sleep, very interesting! Yes, I will wake up but then drift back to sleep. I guess my body does need the extra sleep.

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      The Examiner-1posted 9 years agoin reply to this

      It is recommended not to nap longer than 60 minutes at a time Faith. You can take a few of these through the day but they did not say how many. Personally I would only take 1 in the morning, aft. and early eve. - each. No more than that.

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Thanks Kevin, that makes a lot of sense. I appreciate you for taking time to answer.

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   Sparkleaposted 9 years ago

   Hi dear friend Faith:
   I VERY rarely take a nap because I fear it will keep me awake at night.  However, I do not think it is bad for one's health to sleep longer than 30 minutes.
   Knowing you, you are so very busy and I am sure you need the extra sleep.  I agree with Irfan, to listen to your body!
   The only time I sleep during the day is if I am ill.
   There are nights I cannot sleep, then I am tired all the next day, but sleep excellent the next night.
   My husband is up 2:30 every morning and works until 4:30 pm.  He is the poster child for exhaustion, but never complains, he loves his job.  I would be psychotic and emotionally ill on the little sleep he gets.  I need at least 7 hours at night.
   All this being said, MANY of my friends take power naps and they are very good for you. 
   Thank you for a great question...Love Sparklea PS: I DID answer your email, did you receive it?  I am having problems where people are not receiving my emails.  If you did not, I will re send it.  God bless

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hi Sparklea,  Thank you for answering. Yes, I am unable to take a nap during the week, but on the weekend, I seem to have to take one in the mid-afternoon for some reason.  Sleep is so important for our minds and bodies to rejuvenate.  I will look!

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   tsmogposted 9 years ago

   To me a nap does not mean a deep sleep. Sharing, today, I sleep twice a day for 4 - 5 hours each time. That may change soon. When I take a nap for me I am more in a deep meditation. I am cognitive of my surroundings and can awaken to alert fairly quickly. I have a feeling or sense of renewal, even though for a few moments I may be hazy.

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Hello Tim, wow, that is very interesting.  Thank you for sharing.  Yes, sometimes it feels like twilight sleep as one knows what's going on around us.  Then I know I go into a deep sleep and it is hard to awaken.

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   connorjposted 9 years ago

   
   
   Sleeping longer is not detrimental at all; indeed, research has proven a 30 minute power nap is not long enough to be optimal for recharging. It is suggested that a power nap should be at minimum 45 minutes...
   The Siesta is brilliant indeed; most of us reach our "greatest valley" around 3 p.m. When our "Circadian" has minimized. Our body's little nudge to nap and not yap...

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      Faith Reaperposted 9 years agoin reply to this

      Oh, wow, how interesting, John!  Thank you for sharing the added insight here.  Yes, we should take after the Italians who shut down for their afternoon siesta.

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