In the hustle and bustle of life, napping is like a clear stream, becoming the "small but exact happiness" that many people are looking for. Especially after the age of 50, a short nap can not only refresh the mind, but also relax the body and mind for a short time. However, do you know that the improper way of napping may not only make you waste precious rest time in vain, but also may have a negative impact on your life expectancy?
1. Be sure to avoid being overly greedy for the comfort of napping, as too long may go against the grain and outweigh the losses.
There is an old Chinese saying that "too much", which is just right for a nap. Many people believe that the longer the nap, the more refreshed they feel, but this may not always be the case. However, medical studies have shown that too long napping time is not only not conducive to mental recovery, but can also cause people to fall into a state of "sleep inertia", that is, feeling dizzy and unresponsive after waking up.
Mr. Zhang, a retired educator, has developed a daily habit of immersing himself in a two-hour restful sleep every afternoon. However, he found that every time he woke up from a nap, he always felt heavy and his mind was not clear, and sometimes it even affected his activities in the afternoon. Later, at the doctor's suggestion, Mr. Zhang shortened his nap time to between half an hour and an hour, and sure enough, his mental state improved significantly.
For adults, nap time is best controlled between half an hour and an hour. This is the right time to relieve fatigue without falling into deep dreams, thus avoiding the discomfort of waking up.
2. Don't "go to bed after eating"
In traditional Chinese culture, we often hear the teaching of "food is silent, sleep is silent", which also contains wisdom about life habits. Taking a nap immediately after a meal may seem like a time-saving experience, but it's actually bad for your health.
Aunt Li is a housewife who often goes to bed for a nap immediately after lunch. However, she found that she always felt sick to her stomach and sometimes had acid reflux after napping. Later, she changed her habit and did some light activities after eating, such as walking or standing for a while, and then taking a nap, so that the discomfort in her stomach was significantly reduced.
The medical explanation is that if you go to a nap immediately after eating, it will not be conducive to the digestion and absorption of food, which may cause adverse health effects. Because the stomach is digesting just after eating, lying down at this time will put pressure on the stomach and is not conducive to digestion. In addition, if food stays in the stomach for too long, it may also lead to health problems such as gastroesophageal reflux, which should be taken seriously. Therefore, it is best to take a nap after a while after eating, which can not only ensure smooth digestion, but also improve the quality of napping.
3. Avoid sleeping on your stomach, which is not only not good for your health, but may also cause a lot of discomfort.
In a busy work environment, many people often choose to lie on the table and take a nap for convenience. However, this posture not only affects breathing, but can also cause damage to the cervical and lumbar spine.
Xiao Wang is an office worker, and due to his busy work, he often has to lie on his desk and take a nap. Over time, he found that his cervical and lumbar spine began to have pain, and he always felt chest tightness and discomfort after napping. Later, he followed the doctor's advice and switched to a folding bed or recliner for a nap, and after adjusting his position, his discomfort was significantly reduced.
When sleeping on the stomach, the head is tilted forward, and the cervical and lumbar spine are in an abnormal bending state, which will lead to lesions of the cervical and lumbar spine in the long term. At the same time, sleeping on your stomach can also compress your chest and affect your breathing. Therefore, for the sake of health, we should try to avoid sleeping on our stomachs and choose a more comfortable nap position.
As a habit in life, napping seems simple, but in fact it contains many scientific truths. By understanding and following the "3 Don'ts" principle above, we can make napping truly a "little luck" in life and add points to our health. At the same time, we should also realize that everyone's physical condition and sleep needs are different, and we should also adjust and optimize the habit of napping according to our actual situation.
In addition to paying attention to the way you take a nap, there are other ways you can improve the quality of your nap. For example, maintain a quiet and comfortable nap environment to avoid noise and light interference, do some relaxing activities before napping, such as deep breathing, meditation, etc., to help calm the body and mind, and do some stretching exercises after nap to relieve body stiffness and discomfort.
We should also pay attention to the relationship between napping and health and longevity. Although napping cannot directly determine the length of a person's life, it has a non-negligible effect on physical recovery and mental adjustment as a part of a healthy life. Through the scientific way of napping, we can improve the body's immunity, prevent the occurrence of diseases, and thus prolong life to a certain extent.
Napping is a simple and effective way to rest, but in order to maximize the benefits of napping, we need to master scientific napping methods. By avoiding bad habits such as "snooze" for too long, sleeping immediately after meals and sleeping on our stomachs, we can make napping a beautiful scenery in our lives and escort our health and longevity.
In this fast-paced era, let us learn to cherish every nap time and enjoy the beauty it brings in a scientific way. In this way, we can not only have more energy to face the challenges of life, but also leave a healthier and better figure in the long river of time.
I'm Dr. Xie, welcome everyone to like and follow, and say your views in the comment area, let's chat