I didn’t get enough sleep last night”. An excuse that we’ve all said, or heard, at one point in our lives. Given as an apology when our work hasn’t been up to scratch, or we’ve been especially moody, or we can’t remember our mother-in-law’s name.

And even though you might pride yourself on never having resorted to this excuse, there’s probably still some truth in it. After all, as a society we’ve never slept worse; despite the fact that we’re simultaneously working and playing and living harder than ever before.

Sometimes an anxious mind is keeping us awake. Other times, it’s noisy neighbours, or excitable kids, or an uncomfortable mattress. Usually though, our lifestyle plays a big part. We eat sugary foods, drink caffeinated beverages and watch mind-stimulating shows before bedtime. We bring our devices to bed and keep checking them until lights-out.

The result being a lack of decent sleep and a bleary-eyed zombie come morning.

Sound familiar?! If so, you should be doing everything you can to get enough sleep each night – the experts recommend 7–9 hours. If that sounds impossible, there is a way to catch up on the sleep you’ve missed.

It’s called napping. And here’s why we should all be doing it:

 

1. Naps are fast!

Napping during the day might seem like a luxury you can’t afford. But you do have time to nap. (After all, you manage to find time to squeeze in the latest episode of your Netflix show, or to check Facebook for the 3rd time, or to plan your upcoming holiday, right?!)

So next time you’re organising what to do with your time, assign a block of it for “nap time”. It doesn’t have to be long – even 15 minutes can make a big difference.

In a very short time you’ll notice effects like a better mood, a more rested mind and more energy to face whatever the day might throw at you. You’re likely to feel more productive, more creative and more thoughtful after a short lie-down, too.

They don’t call it a “power nap” for nothing!

 

2. Naps are free!

Just like the best things in life, a lovely snoozefest won’t leave your wallet in a state of panic. (Obviously this depends on where you nap. If it’s at the nearest Hilton, well that’s another story.)

But napping is one of the best – and one of the cheapest – ways to rejuvenate yourself from a lethargic slump. Caffeine doesn’t quite cut it, as the crash is always around the corner. And those fancy macchiatos don’t come cheap, either! Massages are great but we can’t really justify getting them every day. Exercise is awesome but when you consider how much you spend on gym membership/yoga classes/running shoes, it ain’t as free as it might appear.

Sleep, on the other hand, is a cheap way to waken up. “A nap a day keeps the zombie away”. Or something like that.

 

3. Naps are fantastic!

Can you tell that I love naps yet?! Well, I do. Because frankly, for something that’s so accessible, so quick and so very free, I don’t know why we don’t do it more often!

Maybe because naps have a stigma attached to them. People think they’d be seen as lazy if they can’t keep up with the pace. Or maybe they haven’t followed proper napping etiquette before.

By this I mean, be careful when and where you nap. Because even though I’m all for bringing dreamyland into the daytime, this doesn’t mean you should be conking out on the couch every 5 minutes. That’s not really a proper nap and the stiffness you’ll likely experience afterwards may turn you off naps for good.

Do it properly. Decide you’re going to have a nap, shut the curtains in your bedroom and climb into bed. Put on your pjs if you want to, or stay dressed; just make sure you’re comfy enough to get the most out of your nap. Set your alarm to go off in 15/30/45 minutes’ time – whatever you’ve got to spare – and don’t rise again until it does.

Don’t be tempted to check your messages or your email or the name of that starlet from the movie you saw last night. This is your time to switch off for a few precious minutes. So get it right.

(Note: If you’re in a full-time office job, or travelling or somewhere that takes you away from your bedroom all day, don’t worry. Find a nice patch of grass on your lunch break and nap there instead.)

 

Ready, set, nap!

If you’re yawning by the time you read this then good – my work here is done. So next time you’re feeling overtired and irritable, don’t try to push through it. Give in and have a nap at some point during the day.

Trust me, the world will look a whole lot rosier when you open your eyes again.