Believe it: This will Definitely Help you Relieve your Anxiety

“Set aside half an hour every day to do all your worrying; then take a nap during this period.”


Yeah, yeah… kids take an afternoon nap, right after cookies and milk. Well, even if our culture does “frown upon” mid-day sleep; most people experience a natural drowsiness in the afternoon, usually about 8 hours after waking. And the drowsiness could be the cause and or effect of stress and anxiety.

Research shows that you can make yourself more alert, reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Scatter brained drowsy thoughts waiting for the day to pass by only ads to your daily dose of anxiety.

Mid-day sleep, or a “power nap”, means more patience, less stress, increased learning, better health, better reaction time, and more efficiency. All of which Many athletes find a daytime nap further increases their body’s ability to build muscle. Napping also benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair.

A power nap simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of rejuvenating sleep as fast as possible. So, a more relaxed mind and body will most likely be able to quickly brush aside stressful mind cluttering devices, ie, anxiety, worry, panic, stress, ect.

No surprise that Lance Armstrong’s coach, Chris Carmichael, says that “naps were critical in his overall training plan.” In Manhattan, napping has become a lucrative business: Metro Naps in the Empire State Building provides darkened cot-like redoubts that attract Broadway actors between shows as well as investment bankers who otherwise would fall asleep at their desks. And in Iraq, U.S. Marine commanders have mandated a power nap before patrols.

So, how to get the perfect nap? Everyone, no matter how high-strung, has the capacity to nap, but the conditions need to be right. Here are some helpful hints:
1. The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.

2. Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy.

3. Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep.

4. Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.

5. Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you.

6. Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone.

7. Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.

8. Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration (see below).

How Long Is A Good Nap?
THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds Sleep studies haven’t yet concluded whether there are benefits to these brief intervals, like when you nod off on someone’s shoulder on the train.
THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding sleepiness.
THE MINI-NAP: five to 20 minutes Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and motor performance.
THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutes Includes the benefits of the micro and the mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and names).
THE LAZY MAN’S NAP: 50 to 90 minutes Includes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles.


Related Anxiety Tips and Humor Articles:

New Anxiety and Stress Busters
Post Holiday Depression
10 Tips during Terrorist Attacks
Anxiety during the Holidays
10 Tips that will not Help at All


Note: The above information is written for informational and/or entertaining purposes only. If you feel the need for expert guidance, please seek the advice of a physician, pharmacist, or other healthcare professionals.