Is taking a nap during the day a good idea?

Today is National Napping Day.

Although I have about a dozen things to write about on my list, I think I’ll write about napping. When I got out of bed this morning, I felt like just getting back under the covers.

I used to take naps, especially during college days. I’d stay up late studying, then skip breakfast. After dinner, I’d have a nap and then start all over again.

After retiring from my day job to become a blogger, I haven’t had afternoon naps. If I sleep during the day, then I have trouble sleeping at night.

However, as the nation becomes more and more sleep deprived due to busy lifestyles, arguments are being made for napping.

While naps don’t necessarily make up for inadequate or poor quality nighttime sleep, a short nap of 20-30 minutes can help to improve mood, alertness, and performance, according to the National Sleep Foundation.

Famous people who enjoyed an afternoon nap are: Winston Churchill, John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and George W. Bush.

Tips from the foundation on napping include:

• A short nap is usually recommended, 20-30 minutes, for short-term alertness. This type of nap provides significant benefit for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy or interfering with nighttime sleep.

• Your sleep environment can greatly impact your ability to fall asleep. Make sure that you have a restful place to lie down and that the temperature in the room is comfortable. Try to limit the amount of noise heard and the extent of the light filtering in. While some studies have shown that just spending time in bed can be beneficial, it’s better to try to catch some sleep.

• If you take a nap too late in the day, it might affect your nighttime sleep patterns and make it difficult to fall asleep at your regular bedtime. If you try to take it too early in the day, your body may not be ready for more sleep.

So happy National Napping Day.

Maybe if I just lay my head down on the desk for a few minutes…