You have probably experienced the frustration of your brain going into overdrive when your body finally decides to lie down and rest. How do we turn it off and begin to RELAX? There’s the obvious tips, like avoiding caffeine at night and making the room dark. Here’s a few more useful tips to help you fall asleep quicker and stay asleep longer, so you can wake up feeling rested and refreshed... This first one may surprise you! Contrary to all the sleep sources that say to avoid napping during the day in order to sleep better at night, it is actually a good idea to nap every day. But in order to make this work it is vital to stick to three rules:
- Nap regularly. By napping at the same time every day, your body will start to regulate itself to fall asleep more quickly at that time
- Keep it short. Only nap for 20 minutes. A 20-minute power nap provides enough sleep to feel refreshed and more alert, yet it won’t interfere with falling asleep at night
- Make it in the early afternoon. The optimal time is 20 to 30 minutes after lunch, which is when your body is naturally inclined to feel sleepy, and early enough in the day to not interfere with falling asleep at night.