Is napping good for retired adults? Causes of drowsiness after eating. Is afternoon rest good for children?

Children's naps during the day are considered beneficial for health. But when a person becomes an adult, the habit of sleeping in the middle of the day puts him in the category of lazy people.

Why does opinion about healthy sleep change so dramatically with age? Scientists around the world claim that napping helps restore physical strength, normalize emotional background, increase the efficiency of any activity. Patterns in society about daytime naps have no scientific basis. In this article we will talk about an important and interesting topic for many - is it good for an adult to sleep during the day?

Historical and scientific facts

Scientists from the University of California conducted a study of a group of people who practiced daytime naps throughout their lives. Based on the experiment, experts came to an amazing conclusion that proved the benefits of napping in the middle of the day for health. Compared to adherents of wakefulness, such people have a 50% increase in concentration and a 30% improvement in memory. Napping does not disrupt life biorhythms and does not cause insomnia. Useful practice prevents the development of depression and improves mood, reduces the risk of heart attacks and strokes by 40%, allows you to relax and begin work with renewed vigor.

It is wrong to think that they can sleep during the day lazy people, losers or slackers. Historical facts indicate the opposite. Great people: creative people, politicians, philanthropists prefer to relax in the middle of the day. Such a vacation greatly contributed to their success, allowed them to concentrate on their goals and respond correctly to difficult situations. life situations. Benefit nap for a person are confirmed by their example by Winston Churchill, Margaret Thatcher, Eleanor Roosevelt, Leonardo Davinci, Thomas Edison, John Kennedy. These people have always practiced napping and at the same time achieved success and worldwide popularity.

Benefits of resting in the middle of the day

The question of whether it is useful for adults to sleep during the day can be answered positively with confidence. Those who practice napping remain healthy for many years into old age, and their life expectancy is higher than that of people who are constantly awake during the day.

Health benefits of napping:

• restores performance, gives a feeling of vigor;
• strengthens the nervous system;
• increases resistance to stressful situations;
• sharpens the functioning of the senses and reaction to external stimuli;
• activates metabolic processes in organism;
• normalizes digestion;
• improves the functioning of the cardiovascular system;
• strengthens the immune system;
• aligns the emotional background, promotes a good mood;
• improves thought processes: attention, memory, creativity;
• prevents physical fatigue.

The more regularly a person allows himself to rest, the more regularly the person allows himself to rest, the greater the benefits of napping. Daytime naps at least three times a week lead to improvement general well-being and extends active life. The reason is the stimulation of the production of endorphins (“happiness hormones”) and inhibition of the synthesis of cortisol (“anxiety hormone”).

The harm of daytime rest

Scientists say that the benefits and harms of daytime sleep depend on many factors that are important to consider. We'll talk about healthy napping rules later. Daytime rest can be harmful if you nap for a long time, without taking into account time, external conditions and sleep phases. Napping is not beneficial, and is sometimes contraindicated, for patients with deep depression and with mental disorders. Daytime rest can be harmful for people suffering from insomnia. In this case, life biorhythms are disrupted and sleep disturbance processes progress.

Day rest rules

We got the answer to the question of whether adults need to sleep during the day. Now let's look at how to properly nap. This is important because disordered sleep can cause jet lag, impair nervous and endocrine system. You may have sometimes noticed that after a daytime nap you feel exhausted, you cannot concentrate on work, there is general weakness And headache. These are signs that you fell asleep or woke up at the wrong time, without taking into account the stages of sleep.

The benefits of daytime sleep for a person will be most complete if the following rules are observed:

1. The optimal duration of rest for a full night's sleep is 20-30 minutes. This time is enough to relax and restart the work of all organs and systems. Phase deep slow sleep occurs half an hour after falling asleep and lasts for an hour. If a person wakes up in a deep phase, then his state will be broken. Therefore, it is necessary to wake up before reaching deep phase. In case if night rest was defective, a daytime nap should last 1.5-2 hours before the onset of the next deep sleep phase. This important condition which must be followed.
2. The relaxation environment is no less important. Need to get rid of sources loud sounds And bright light. You can use special eye masks and earplugs.
3. The sleeping place should be comfortable for temporary relaxation. Experts do not recommend going to bed, which can contribute to prolonged rest. An armchair, sofa, sofa, or car seat would be more suitable. It is better to loosen tight clothing parts.
4. It is important to organize daytime rest at 13-15 hours, no later. This optimal time for relaxation and restoration of performance.
5. Should be considered individual characteristics person to fall asleep. If you take a long time to go to bed, then you need to add 10-15 minutes to your rest time.
6. For those who have difficulty waking up, experts recommend drinking strong tea or coffee before a nap. The drinks begin to take effect within 20-30 minutes, just in time for waking up.
7. After resting, do exercises to warm up your muscles.

Why is napping good for you?

So why is sleeping during the day good for your health?

The thing is that during the day, not only the whole body works very hard for a person, but also his psyche. This is especially true in modern urban realities. Working to the limit of our strength, we experience a lot of negative feelings and emotions. All this wears us down and leads to illness.

This is why resting at least a little during the day is vital if you want to stay.

Relaxation during the day

But it will be best and much more useful if you don’t just sleep during the day, but a short time relax and turn off your head. Those. stop thinking and experiencing bad emotions.

For relaxation, and is used. Try these techniques in the middle of the day and you will feel your energy return. You will be able to work harder and better and will not come home very tired.

But if you don’t have the opportunity to lie down in shavasana, try to find some time and relax, at least just sitting on a chair with your eyes closed. The main thing is to turn off your head well. Even such a short rest will be beneficial for the whole body and psyche.

And the last question remains: is it possible to sleep during the day after eating? Yes, it does not harm the digestive processes. The body spends a lot of energy to digest food. And it is better if you rest at this time, and do not start working hard immediately after consuming food. Everyone knows that the day after have a nice lunch, we are drawn to sleep. Do not interfere with this urge of the body. But you shouldn’t overeat at night.

If you decide to practice napping during the day, do not be shy and do not listen to the opinions of others. Your health, both physical and mental, will be much stronger than that of people with stereotyped thinking.

If you can't sleep, step away from work for a short time, close your eyes and relax. Stop thinking, in other words, meditate. The body will thank you for this.

And in conclusion, watch the video on the topic of the article:

See you soon.

I wish you happiness and health.

If you take into account how difficult everyday life can be, sometimes the desire to wake up disappears altogether. The bed is so warm and the sleep is so sweet. However, the question arises: is it safe to sleep for half a day after sleepless night or difficult working week? Is the harm of long sleep equivalent to lack of sleep?

First of all, it should be noted that there must be balance in everything, that is, wakefulness must be balanced by enough sleep and vice versa, so that a person can feel rested. When this balance is disturbed, problems immediately appear of different nature such as insomnia, high irritability or laziness, as well as problems directly related to health. Based on these facts, it can be argued that both lack of sleep and very long sleep are equally harmful to the human body.

Benefits of long sleep

Long sleep can be beneficial in cases that depend on the physical and moral state of a person. For example, when overworked, heavy daily physical activity and lack of opportunity to get a good night's sleep. IN in this case Lack of sleep accumulates in the body, all human resources are depleted at a certain point and in order to fully recover, a person will need more time to rest.

In cases where a person is too exhausted, sleep can last a day. A sick person will need the same amount of time to regain his strength.

The harm of long sleep

The harm of long sleep is based on overwork, into which a person plunges when there is an excess of the sleep hormone. With excessively long sleep, the body begins to get tired, and as a result, it does not regain strength, but loses it. Long sleep also destroys the internal passage biological clock, which means that, to a certain extent, it restructures the functioning of the body. As a result, the level of laziness and reluctance to do something increases. The result can be severe overvoltage and high risk formation of depression.

Often long sleep serves as a conscious escape from problems, that is, “I’m sleeping, which means I don’t see anything, I don’t solve anything.” This is the base of many psychological diseases, the emergence of new and strengthening of old complexes. Concerning physical health, long sleep can lead to an increase in migraine, stagnation of blood in the vessels, high blood pressure, swelling of varying degrees.

Conclusion

What, exactly, is long sleep, how long does it last? Doctors say that normal duration sleep and wakefulness for a certain person its. But there is an approximate distinction by which you can find out whether a person is sleeping within normal limits. So, sleep is considered long if its duration exceeds 10-14 hours or more. Therefore, for a person who only needs 7-8 hours of sleep, 10-11 hours is already too much. The distinctions are arbitrary, but they help to navigate the calculations of time spent on sleep.

Daytime sleep is an integral part of every baby’s life; even an hour of rest helps the brain relax, restore physical strength and regulate the emotional background. But closer to 5-7 years, most children begin to lead a more adult lifestyle, sleep at night, and stay awake at night. daytime. Many adults are of the opinion that afternoon nap quite harmful, as it can cause the biological clock to malfunction. However, experts argue that this point of view is completely wrong, since short-term naps during the day help the body recover and have time to do more things during the working day. What are the benefits and harms of daytime rest and when is the best time to sleep?

Is it possible for adults to sleep during the day, and is daytime sleep beneficial for the body? All leading scientists answer this question positively. Statistics show that people who practice midday naps tend to be healthier and often live into old age.

The value of sleep during the day also lies in the following effects on the body:

Midday naps will be more effective if you allow yourself to take them at least 3 times a week. Such rest will increase the production of endorphins, have a good effect on the functioning of metabolic systems and will prevent the production of cortisol.

Doctors warn that the benefits of daytime sleep will only be if the sleepers comply with certain recommendations. It must be remembered that daytime rest should be short-term and take place at a certain time.

“I can’t sleep during the day and only sleep after midnight” - many men and women of different ages complain today about such a violation. Doctors assure that if you can’t fall asleep during the day, you should refuse such rest, because nervous system doesn't need it.

Contraindications

No matter how surprising it may be, in some cases, sleeping during the day can bring not only benefits, but also harm, so sometimes it is much wiser to refuse such a rest. Who and why should not sleep during the day?

• Sleeping during the day is harmful for people who periodically suffer from insomnia. In this case, there is a possibility that the person will not fall asleep at all;
• if you often have a nightmare at night (this indicates psychological problems);
• such a vacation is not recommended for people suffering from jet lag;
• Daytime sleep should not exceed 1.5 hours.

If a person does not suffer from any diseases or disorders, you can safely sleep during the day, since such rest will only bring benefits.

Scientists have long answered the question of whether sleeping during the day is beneficial.

But in order for such a vacation to have only a positive effect on human health, you need to follow these recommendations:

After a day's sleep, it is quite difficult for many to cheer up; a person may suffer not only from “lethargy”, but also from muscle fatigue. The best way To avoid this, do some simple physical exercises.

Numerous studies have long confirmed how daytime sleep affects a person, what benefits or harm it does to the body. Experts (and the creators of the most popular dream books) assure that a short rest during the working day is guaranteed not to harm your health, and at the same time will help you stay active and cheerful until the evening.

Sometimes after a nap you feel cheerful and full of energy, and sometimes even more exhausted. So is napping during the day beneficial for adults? We'll figure it out together with somnologists.

When a debate arises about the benefits of daytime sleep, the words of the famous British Prime Minister Winston Churchill are certainly cited.

“Sleeping during the day does not make you do less - that’s what fools without imagination think. You will have time even more, because you will have two days in one...”

But do sleep specialists agree with such a categorical statement by a politician?

Mikhail Poluektov

About the benefits of daytime sleep with medical point It’s too early to talk about vision, not a single study has been conducted that would prove that daytime sleep can increase life expectancy or, for example, reduce the risk of developing various diseases. But what doctors know for sure is that short naps during the day help improve productivity, immunity, and mood. It allows you to reboot against the background of high mental or physical stress. It is best to sleep for about an hour and a half, because this is the time that constitutes a person's normal sleep cycle.

Elena Tsareva

Daytime sleep, in principle, does not differ from nighttime sleep in terms of the set of sleep stages. But there may be differences in the duration of the stages. With lower melatonin levels during the day compared to night and the presence external stimuli(light, noise, phone calls and the like) there may be fewer deep stages of sleep, and more superficial ones. The speed of falling asleep may also be reduced for the same reasons.

Studies have found that if you fall asleep during a period of decreased daytime activity (in owls and larks this is different time), then there is a high probability of waking up with a heavy head and even more drowsiness. Falling asleep for a short period after sunset with more likely will violate night sleep due to the influence on the biorhythm of melatonin production.

How to fall asleep during the day

• A few hours before the end of the shift, we advise you to reduce the lighting, and before falling asleep, take a small dose of melatonin (1/4-1/2 tablet) to help fall asleep.
• It is important to create conditions for falling asleep (darkened room, limiting external stimuli - even using earplugs and a sleep mask).
• A number of large companies even create special rooms for recuperation in a few minutes against a background of high stress.

If you feel drowsy while driving

At home or at work, you can find time to relax (at least during lunch break in the rest room). If it doesn’t work out, yes, it’s unpleasant that fatigue can affect your performance, but still it’s not critical. But the feeling of fatigue and, as a result, possible loss Concentration while driving can lead to much more serious consequences. What should motorists who really want to sleep do? Experts agree here.

Mikhail Poluektov

There is a shortened version of daytime sleep, which is recommended for motorists. If you suddenly feel drowsy while driving, it is recommended to pull over and sleep for 20 minutes. Where did this particular time period come from? After a 20-minute sleep, a failure usually occurs in more than deep dream. And when a person wakes up after a deep sleep, he may experience the phenomenon of “sleep intoxication”; he does not immediately come to his senses, and does not immediately acquire the necessary skills, for example, to drive a vehicle.

Elena Tsareva

There is a study on the duration of daytime sleep that shows that sleeping more than 20 minutes causes more harm to performance than 10-15 minutes. This is precisely due to the fact that the likelihood of going into deep sleep increases, during which awakening is more difficult, and the head is “heavier” after that.

When do somnologists prescribe daytime naps?

The most common problem with which people still decide to turn to sleep specialists is night sleep disorders. And the popular advice among people “if you didn’t sleep well at night, then sleep during the day” is fundamentally wrong. After all, people suffering from insomnia, having slept during daylight hours, simply “steal” part of their night sleep. So in what case will doctors still prescribe a nap for you?

Mikhail Poluektov

Somnologists recommend daytime sleep only if they are sure that a person has one of rare diseases, such as narcolepsy or idiopathic hypersomnia. Both of these diseases are accompanied by excessive daytime sleepiness. And in these cases, the so-called planned falling asleep during daylight hours allows a person to maintain attention and level of performance.

Elena Tsareva

Daytime sleep is physiological for children under 7 years of age. Adults do not normally need it. In adults, daytime sleep is a sign of either a lack or poor quality of night sleep, or exceeding the body's reserves in adapting to stress. Most often, this is observed in a forced situation: with a shift work schedule or in case of sleep deficiency of more than 8 hours (for example, young parents or “night owls” who get up earlier than the desired time in order to adapt to social boundaries). Daytime naps are not suitable for people who already have sleep problems such as difficulty falling asleep at night or waking up at night, or shifting sleep patterns. In these cases, nighttime sleep can become even worse. This is especially common for people who are not bound by social obligations (work, study) and can be in bed whenever they want (for example, freelancers).

If there is a need for daytime sleep, then this is a reason to think about talking with a somnologist and undergoing a sleep study (polysomnography). IN Lately this became possible at home. So it may turn out that daytime naps, like snoring, are just a sign of disrupted nighttime sleep. Upon recovery healthy sleep the need for daytime sleep disappears.

Benefits of long sleep

In cases where a person is too exhausted, sleep can last a day. A sick person will need the same amount of time to regain his strength.

The harm of long sleep

Often, long sleep serves as a conscious escape from problems, that is, “I’m sleeping, which means I don’t see anything, I don’t solve anything.” This is the basis for many, the emergence of new and strengthening of old complexes. As for physical health, prolonged sleep can lead to an increase in migraine, stagnation of blood in the vessels, high blood pressure, and swelling of varying degrees.

Conclusion