Thank goodness it’s National Napping Day the day after Daylight Savings Time! Phew! I know I could use some extra shut-eye. Get your best “Horizontal Life Pause” ever with these tips (you deserve it):
DURATION:
- A 10-20 minute âpower napâ can help boost alertness and energy.
- Napping for more than an hour can help you remember facts and can improve long-term alertness.
- Set your alarm to a calming sound. Best is if you set it to a gentle and soothing song that you really like allowing you to wake up softly and naturally.
BEST POSITION:
- Rest on your side! Studies show that this helps our brains to discard waste products. Clearing away brain toxins may help to prevent the onset of dementia and Alzheimerâs disease.
MAXIMIZE YOUR REST TIME:
- Try using a sleep mask that covers your eyes. When it’s dark, your brain senses pure darkness, and it causes the production of melatonin, which is the chemical of sleep. When you do not use a sleep mask, the optical nerve continues to detect the light making it harder to relax completely.
- Turn your nap into what we call a “Power Break” by grabbing your ear-buds and playing a Guided Meditation or Brain Training Audio (most delicious time to do so is right before those after-lunch yawns set in but anytime works!). Click here to download one of ours for free
A Nap Can:
– Reverse the health effects of a poor night’s sleep.
– Strengthen the immune system.
– Stabilize hormone levels.
– Recover the neuroendocrine system.
Improve Metabolism:
If you are NOT getting enough minutes of sleep or good quality sleep, your metabolism will not function properly. Also, we make poor decisions when we’re tired, plain and simple. It’s just too easy to grab a bag of chips or “take out” for dinner.
The two hormones that are key in this process are ghrelin and leptin. âGhrelin is the âgoâ hormone that tells you when to eat; you have MORE of this when you are sleep-deprived. Leptin is the hormone that tells you to stop eating; you have LESS of this when you’re sleep-deprived.
You plus ghrelin minus leptin equals weight gain.
So, I think it’s crystal clear why laying horizontal during the day for a brief period will not only help you achieve or stay at your ideal weight but you will just feel better all over!
Lower Blood Pressure:
Last year, researchers showed individuals who took a mid-day nap had four percent lower average systolic blood pressure than those who didnât nap when they were awake. They also found that those who saw a significant drop in blood pressure at night were getting an average of 17 minutes more midday sleep than those whose levels remained the same.
Turn your “Power Nap” into a “Power Break”:
We are HUGE fans of  Horizontal Life Pauses a.k.a Naps… and we actually call them “Power Breaks.” We super-charge this horizontal time by play a Guided Brain Training Meditation mp3 Audio. So while we rest, we’re also training our brains to support us in creating what we truly want in life while giving us a boost of energy for the rest of the day! Brain Training Audios work to clear out any limiting patterns in the subconscious mind and reinforce the head brain, heart brain, and gut-brain with the input needed to be the healthy, confident, and joyful YOU. You can pick up one of our brain training audios free – click here.
Practice Self-Love by taking a “Power Break”. You so incredibly deserve it.
There are countless benefits to you getting great sleep. Literally, everything in your life is based on how well-rested you are, so from here on, respect your rest!Â
With passion about you getting your sleep,
Dr. Joy MartinaÂ
PS. Here’s me enjoying a Power-Break with my sock eye mask my daughter Grace made. Simply fill a sock with rice and add some lavender or whatever you have around for a DIY “Eye Pillow.” It’s even cooling on the eyes helping to relieve any bags or dark circles.Â
Resources:
Medical Daily: http://bit.ly/21qkmPV
WebMD: http://wb.md/24Z8xoc
