National Napping Day
Most of us are aware that we should, on average, be getting around 7-9 hours of sleep every night. However, most of us are also aware of the fact that we’re not getting enough sleep. From busy work schedules, to binge-watching Netflix through the night, we tend to fail at achieving the right amount of sleep that we really need, and this often leads to further sleeping problems.
National Napping Day comes once a year, and its purpose is to celebrate napping as adults. It’s there to remind us that taking a nap is nothing to be ashamed of, and actively encourages taking naps. The timing of this national day was aimed at trying to prepare our internal body clocks for the upcoming clock changes, and hopefully avoid that weird jet-lagged feeling we feel for a few days after.
This day was created in 1999 in order to spread awareness of getting enough sleep and the benefits we can gain from the right amount of sleep. Although it isn’t technically recognized as an official national holiday, it at least gives us a good excuse to take a nap. Napping is actually scientifically proven to be good for you, and is far healthier than energy drinks or caffeine. Just 20-30 minutes will provide you with enough energy to get back to work.
So, how can you celebrate National Napping Day? Well, take a nap of course! This might seem obvious, but our busy schedules tend to have a knack of getting in the way, so try and set aside some serious time for a nap. It’s super important not to ignore our bodies, and to remember to rest, be comfortable and relax. Try making a calming playlist in anticipation of your nap, by choosing calming tunes that will make you feel relaxed. Remember, the whole point of this holiday is give yourself a few minutes extra rest that you wouldn’t necessarily get otherwise.