6 Secrets People Who Maintain Weight Loss Know But You Don’t

Losing weight is not all that difficult, it’s losing weight consistently and keeping it off that’s tricky. Have you ever experienced the frustration of piling back on the weight you worked so hard to shift?

The weight loss industry is flooded with quick fixes and unrealistic expectations, this is why our weight loss efforts often fall short. We are lured into numerous diets, detoxes, juices, shakes, fasts and “special” exercise routines for their promises. They sometimes work, but only as long as you use them.

The problem with gimmicks is, you’re excited to give these methods a go in the beginning, but as motivation fades, it’s impossible to maintain weight loss.

The only way to consistently lose weight is adopting new habits and building a lifestyle to support them. The key is making small, sustainable changes instead of short bursts of radical changes.

To help you achieve this, here are the six secrets of people who can maintain weight loss, along with their sanity!

1. They Don’t Go on Diets

Never “go on a diet” again. Crash-course diets are the most unpleasant way to shed pounds and are often unsustainable. As soon as you relapse the weight will come straight back on. It’s totally demoralizing!

Instead, gradually clean up your eating habits to build a sustainable, healthy lifestyle. Don’t fall for all unrealistic weight loss expectations. Focus on gradual consistent weight loss which can be none without feeling deprived.

Make small changes, introduce healthy alternatives, then taper down portion sizes slowly. Keep an eye on the scale week by week and adjust your caloric intake accordingly.

2. They Don’t Eat Based on Emotions

Many of us fall victim to comfort eating from stress, upset or even boredom. We find ourselves snacking on unhealthy foods (typically high calorie, carbohydrate, and sugar dense) to fulfill us. Yet it never works and the sugar rush only feeds emotions, then guilt worsens it further.

The answer is not to become emotionless, but to change your emotional connection to food. Instead of using it to seek comfort, see it as a source of nourishment, vitality and good health. You’ll even get an emotional kick out from eating healthier choices!

3. They Manage Their Stress in Healthy Ways

Apart from comfort eating, stress has many other negative effects on general health and wellbeing. Since modern living comes with a fair amount of stress, it’s essential to manage it healthily. Even with your diet on point and regular exercise, stress may still hinder your weight loss efforts.

First, make sure you are getting enough rest, typically between  7-9 hours sleep. Next, introduce a stress-relieving activity into your life. It needs to be one that relaxes you and allows you to clear your mind. Consider yoga, meditation, learning new skills or even playing a music instrument.

4. They Don’t Have “Cheat Days”

Having a cheat day is not the right approach if you truly want to maintain weight loss. It easily turns into an over-the-top indulgence that stalls your progress. Remember, slow and steady not rash and sporadic.

A critical aspect of a sustainable healthy lifestyle is using the 80/20 rule. Stick to your healthy habits most of the time, but allow yourself to indulge when the moment arises.

Having a “cheat meal” is acceptable, but don’t plan them. Say your friend invites you out to dinner, you can jump on the offer without guilt or derailing your weight loss efforts.

5. They Don’t Force Themselves to go to the Gym

Once your diet is on track, you’ll certainly need regular exercise to maintain weight loss. However, there’s no need to force yourself into activities if they bore you to tears. You can choose any activity that works your body and gets you sweating!

If the gym is convenient for you, then go for it. Otherwise, you may consider bodyweight exercises at home or a jog around your neighborhood.

Participating in a sports activities can be an enjoyable way to get exercise, consider football, badminton, basketball, swimming or even martial arts!

6. They Have a Plan and Routine

A healthy lifestyle should not be based on strict rules and depressing restrictions, yet guidelines are critical for staying on track. Having a regular routine and meal plan can be a mental liberation that keeps you moving in the right direct.

Plan enjoyable healthy meals ahead of time and you won’t make poor choices out of convenience or feel guilty later. Better yet, preparing food ahead of time may make your life easier! Similarly, having a weekly routine will help you manage time and ensure you make continual progress.

When your motivation dips, which it will, your routine and meal plan will keep you on track and ensure you still maintain weight loss regardless.

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Sharing Your Bed With Your Lovely Pet Can Bring Better Sleep, Study Finds

There’s no greater feeling than snuggling with a warm furry companion at night and lovingly greeted in the morning. An overwhelming number of animal lovers are inclined to agree, half of dog owners and over 60% of cat owners in the US are blissfully sleeping with their pets.

When asked why they chose to share the sheets with their companions, many report a feeling comfort that helps them drift off to sleep without quite realizing why.

Remarkably, recent studies have documented a number of relaxing effects that pets can have on us, thus helping us get a better night’s sleep!

How Can Sleeping With Pets Help Us Sleep?

Ironically, it was initially believed pets were more likely a source of disturbance of sleep. However, 41% of participants of a sleep study reported that snuggling with their pets actually significantly helped them get to sleep.

Of those who were sleeping with their pets, their comfort could be further explained as a sense of security and companionship. Interestingly, single sleepers were more willing to share the sheets with their pets.

Researchers concluded that although some were quite unaware, these increased feelings of contentment and security contributed to their state of mental and physical relaxation. As a result, they were able to slip off to sleep more soundly with their pets by their side.

Tips for Getting a Good Night’s Sleep With Your Companions

Now it must be said that sleeping with pets is not for everyone, especially if you have allergies! However, these tips will help ensure you have both have a harmonious night’s rest:

• Certain pathogens and diseases can be transmitted from animals to humans. Sleeping with pets can still be hygienic, so long they are regularly bathed, checked for fleas/ticks, vaccinated and checked up.

• If you’re a light sleeper it may be wise to set up their sleeping area separately. After all, cats are nocturnal by nature and dogs are prone to snoring and cat chasing dreams!

• If you have young pups and kittens, house training may be an ongoing endeavour. In the meantime, you’ll need to take precautions such as crates or waterproof sheets.

• For those with partners, watch out for jealous or guarding behavior from dogs. This needs to be nipped in the bud quickly through training.

• If you have playful dogs and cats banning toys (especially squeaky ones) will help you both wind down peacefully.

• Prevent pushy behavior from dogs by showing them who’s boss. Remember to show your dog who’s boss, make them wait and call them to the bed.

• Intimate moments can still be successfully navigated, either by temporarily shutting pets out, giving them a distracting treat or simply letting them be.

• If your dog will eventually grow large, consider that it’s difficult to transition them out of the bed later. Using a sleeping crate from the beginning can make it much easier.

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6 Signs You’re An Overthinking Worrier (And How To Worry Less)

I’m very aware of the fact that I’m an over-thinker. I literally drive myself crazy sometimes worrying and thinking, and it’s usually about the littlest, dumbest things too. The fact is though, it’s just not healthy. Being aware of your over-thinking is the key to keeping it under control and keeping yourself sane. Here are 6 signs that you may be an over-thinker and tips on how to stop worrying so much!

1. You have trouble falling asleep

Your body is tired, but you find yourself tossing and turning. We are all culprits of it- thinking about the day’s occurrences, or worrying about what tomorrow will bring, and not getting enough sleep will only makes matters worse.

Meditation, even in its’ simplest form, will help clear our minds. Take a few moments to lie in bed and focus on the good things that occurred that day. Be thankful for those good things. Think about the funny joke you heard on your lunch break, or the dinner your spouse cooked so you didn’t have to. Tell yourself that you are going to let go of the worry for right now. Tell yourself that tomorrow is a new day and you are going to make the best of it. The power of relaxation and positive thinking will help to ease your mind and allow a good night’s rest.

2. You wake up to worry

So you’ve manage to fall asleep and make it through the night, but now it’s morning. You’ve barely rolled over and already worry pops into your head. Waking up to heavy, stressful thoughts is the worst way to start your day, and many people will agree that a bad morning will make for an entire bad day.

Much like #1, don’t get out of bed until you’ve given yourself a pep talk. Let your body lie still for a few moments and tell yourself that it’s going to be a great day. Tell yourself that you can handle the challenges that the day may bring. Take notice of the sunlight peeking through your curtains. Focus for a moment on the birds chirping outside or the sound of your children waking in the background. Decide right then and there to not carry these worrisome thoughts around the entire day.

3. You’re often emotional or angry

You have a hard time making it through the day without a meltdown and overflow of tears. You find yourself just snapping and the littlest things and overreacting like an emotional train wreck. Sounds like you need some ‘me’ time!

Fit some time into your schedule to pamper and take care of yourself in the ways that make you most relaxed and happy. If you enjoy nature, get out for a walk. Buy the new dress or boots you’ve been wanting. Treat yourself to a triple scoop ice cream cone. Allow yourself to cry over sad songs if that’s what you need. Get in touch with your best friend; you know that guy or gal can always make you laugh! Maintain regular visits with a therapist if expert advice is required.

4. You blame yourself

Your daughter failed her test because you forgot to help her study the night before. Your spouse didn’t have breakfast that morning because you overslept. There are no clean bath towels because you neglected to keep up on laundry. Cavity? Because you didn’t floss enough. Out of milk? Because you were too lazy to run to the store.

You cannot carry the weight of the world on your shoulders! We are human. We make mistakes. We are only capable of handling so much at one time. Perhaps it’s time to delegate tasks to other family members to help ease your worries. You do a lot, but can’t do it all, and instead of blaming yourself for things gone wrong, pat yourself on the back for things gone right.

5. You scrutinize people’s words and facial expressions

You walk away from the cashier’s checkout line wondering if he was looking at you funny. You thought for sure that couple behind you was laughing at your shoes. You could swear that the lady was just being sarcastic when she complimented your hair.

Nine times out of ten, it’s just in our heads. Don’t let these little insecurities get in your way. We shouldn’t worry ourselves thinking about some ‘hidden agenda’ in everyone’s comments or facial expressions. Whether the lady’s compliment was genuine or not, smile and say “thank you”, and then let it go. Don’t let your thoughts stray any more than that. Besides, your hair was looking pretty rad that day!

6. Your thoughts are consumed by bills

Unless you’re a recent lottery winner, it would be fair to say that most of us worry about bills. Let’s face it, bills suck, but they are a part of a life. They come every month and worrying about them won’t make them go away.

Maybe it’s time to sit down and rewrite your budget plan. Maybe it’s time to rethink what’s really necessary and try to eliminate the things that aren’t. Perhaps a temporary part-time job is needed to help pay a few things off. Sometimes even calling the companies to get an extension or set up on a payment plan will help to ease your worries.

Over-thinking and worrying to some extent is normal human nature. Life isn’t always easy and we all at some point have too much on our plate. We need to recognize our worries and be conscious of ways to ease them. Find ways that work best for you on how to stop worrying so much and practice them regularly. It will help you to maintain good health, a clear mind, and a loving heart.  

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How To Teach Your Kids To Have The Right Money Mind In This Materialistic World

It’s no secret we live in a materialistic world.

We’re constantly bombarded with messages telling us to buy more stuff, even if we have no need for it all.

It’s bad enough full-grown adults fall into the trap of spending more than they can afford. But it’s even worse when children grow up thinking it’s totally okay to do so.

As parents, we need to teach kids about money management, materialism, and how to find happiness without overspending.

If we do that, we can perhaps create a better future for our world as a whole.

There are a few ways we can do this:

1. Teach kids about money management

Budgeting and money management gets more complicated as you grow older, but it all sits on the foundation of a single premise:

Don’t spend more than you make.

When we teach kids about money, we need to teach them about long-and short-term savings. They need to understand that if they spend money on candy today, they’ll be that much further away from being to afford a new toy or video game. In a world full of instant gratification, children need to truly grasp the concept of saving their money for another day.

Children also need to be taught about saving for emergencies. Although “emergency” in kid-terms would be a broken toy or ruined book that needs to be replaced, they still need to understand that, most of the time, money isn’t a commodity – it’s a necessity.

2. Teach kids the difference between wants and needs

As just mentioned, kids need to understand that money isn’t just what people use to buy whatever they want. Adults put most of their money toward ensuring they have a roof over their head, clothes on their bodies, and food on the table.

This isn’t to say parents should make their kids pay their share into the monthly electricity bill, but they do need to know that money should be spent on necessities first, superfluous items second. But first, they need to be taught the difference between wants and needs.

Simply put: A “need” is something you can’t live without, while a “want” is something that – while it may be fun and exciting – isn’t necessary for survival. Kids who grow up understanding this will be less likely to make impulse purchases, and be less likely to overspend, in the future.

3. Teach kids about the psychology of advertising

Going along with the last point, parents should talk to their children about the commercials and advertisements they see on TV and the internet on a daily basis.

An advertisement’s job is to make potential customers think they absolutely need the product being advertised – even if it means sacrificing an actual “need” in their life. As mentioned before, some adults have a hard enough time battling this overwhelming desire to buy, buy, buy. But children actually lack the capacity to understand the psychology behind advertising, and are much more likely to be taken advantage of.

By teaching children to think critically about the messages advertisers send them, we can ensure they’ll learn to spend their money wisely and avoid being sold false promises.

4. Teach kids work ethic

At the risk of sounding cliche, kids need to know that money doesn’t grow on trees.

It sounds simple, but most kids really don’t understand how hard their parents work – because they never see it happen. They don’t see the paycheck their father brings home, and they don’t see the checks written to the utility companies. Since they don’t see all this, children often think money is an infinite resource.

We adults know that money only comes from diligent effort and hard work. We need to instill this idea in our children as soon as they’re old enough to clean their room and make their bed on their own. Instead of just giving them an allowance, make them earn it. Explain how they can earn more by doing more to help out around the house – but also that not everything they do will result in them earning more.

It’s the way of the world, right? The earlier they learn, the better off they’ll be.

5. Say “No” Once in a While

Remember: You’re the adult, here.

No matter how well you teach your kids about money management, the difference between wants and needs, and withholding pleasure, they’re still going to try to get you to compromise as much as possible at times.

The problem is, once you start compromising, it becomes a slippery slope, and becomes harder to say “no” when you really can’t afford a new toy or gadget for them to play with.

When children are upset, they don’t listen to reason. If you say “no” and they start to pout, you won’t be able to teach them anything about money management until they’ve calmed down. For the time being, there’s no shame in falling back on the “Because I said so” card.

It may lead to a short-lived tantrum, but they’ll eventually learn the lesson you’re aiming for – as long as you reinforce it and don’t budge on the decision you’ve made.

6. Practice What You Preach

Above all else, as a parent you need to act as a model for your children when it comes to money management and materialism.

If they see you going to the mall every weekend and returning with new clothes, new shoes, and other superfluous items, what do you think they’re going to do?

Of course, you work hard for your money and deserve nice things. But don’t confuse “nice things” with “things you want right now and will never use again.” Before you buy something, put some thought into how you’re going to use it so that it doesn’t end up collecting dust.

Teach your children that they should only spend money if they’re going to use whatever they buy wisely. As long as they have a practical use for everything they spend their money on, they’ll avoid overspending and falling into the trap of materialism.

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Why Successful People Choose To Wear The Same Thing Every Day

In a fashion-conscious society, the clothes that we wear often represent the way we portray our inner selves to the world. It can show aspects of our personality in a number of ways through creativity but it can even show a person’s particular mindset.

When someone decides to dress for success you would imagine a wardrobe full of outfits for every occasion – ready to impress at any opportunity and to create an impact. After all, we’re told appearances matter when it comes to success but does this actually mean we need a plethora of outfits?

More and more successful people are owning up to creating minimal wardrobes – opting to wear the same outfit every day. While this may seem to negate the idea of ‘dress for success’ there are very valid reasons why successful people opt to choose this way of dressing.

1. It Saves You Time

The most obvious reason is that wearing the same outfit every day means less time wasted. Our morning routines can reflect how successful we are in the rest of our day and we often don’t realise how much time is taken up with unnecessary options when it comes to choosing the clothes we wear. By eliminating the need to pick and choose, successful people create more time by having a quicker and more efficient morning routine that transcends into the rest of their day and adds to their success mindset.

2. Safe In The Knowledge That You Have That One Successful Outfit

When we have what seems like an infinite amount of options of what to wear, not only does it take up time deciding on an outfit but it creates a situation where we have many items of clothing that don’t always mix and match. Having many clothes may give the illusion of having loads of different options but in reality we probably only end up wearing the same round of clothes each time. By having a small amount of high-quality versatile items we may be shrinking our options, but we will always have a go-to, high-quality outfit that will do the job every time.

3. It Creates Less Stress

Even when we’ve made that important decision on what to wear, we can start to question our choice throughout the day. You can start to wonder if you wear the right shoes, if you’re too overdressed or underdressed. When these doubts enter your mind you can start to stress more about the day ahead and may trigger unwanted anxiety. When you have one particular outfit that gives you confidence and suits a wide range of situations, you eliminate that worry and your energy is focused on the successes of the day.

4. Eliminates Decisions

We often have a multitude of decisions to make in just one day. Whether important or fleeting, these decisions can mean the difference between success and less success. Being bogged down with decisions can sometimes do damage to our mindset – never underestimate the power of eliminating one unnecessary decision from your daily routine. Any chance to free up space in the mind will help towards focusing on more important tasks.

Barak Obama is rarely seen moving away from his uniform blue or grey suits and there’s a very particular reason for this.

“You’ll see I wear only grey or blue suits. I’m trying to pare down decisions. I don’t want to make decisions about what I’m eating or wearing. Because I have too many other decisions to make.”

In other words, having one less decision to worry about will help towards making better and more well thought-out decisions later.

5. Less Maintenance and Organisation

Having a smaller wardrobe means less energy maintaining and organising it. Successful people like to put their energy into important tasks and having a large variety of clothes means more time doing tasks such as washing, drying and ironing. Not only that but the clothes take up valuable space. Our possessions and the amount we have can say a lot about us, with clutter and too much stuff showing a disorganised mind. Freeing up storage space will not only lead to less need for organisation time but also gives you a sense of space both literally in your wardrobe and in your mind.

6. It Forces You To Change Your Relationship With Clothes

The actress Drew Barrymore talked about how she decided to try and change her relationship with clothes as she gets older. In a world where clothes are a huge fashion statement and material consumption is at an all-time high, many people are changing the way clothes rule their lives. Barrymore says:

“For starters, I’m almost 40, and the 20s clothes don’t make sense anymore. And, after two babies, the 30s clothes don’t fit anymore. I am at a clothing crossroads, and it’s a painful one at times.”

By limiting her wardrobe Barrymore says she became “sane and happy” and at peace with the notion of getting dressed in the morning no longer being a difficult feat full of deliberating decisions.

7. Eliminate The Unnecessary Expense

As mentioned in the last point, material consumption is extremely high with our society’s ‘buy and throw-away’ attitude and we end up with a lot of unnecessary items. This is also true for our wardrobes – how many items of clothing have you never worn or are waiting for that perfect occasion that never comes?

We often delude ourselves that the items hanging in the closet are somehow crucial but we often over-spend on clothes that we don’t really need. By throwing out these items and keeping our clothes collection minimal, we train the mind into realising we don’t need as much as we think. Our need to impulse buy is greatly limited and we become more mindful of the amount of ‘things’ we actually need.

So perhaps it’s time to try the minimal wardrobe technique. Take a leaf out of the book of those people who have made the choice to free themselves from one less daily decision and still dress for success with that one single, dependable and successful outfit.

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Secret To A Long-Lasting Marriage: Put Your Personal Happiness Aside

“If both of you are putting each other first then no one comes second.”

–Author Unknown

Photo Credit: Pedro Ribeiro Simões on Flickr

Shortly after meeting my (now) husband and we began dating, he was called away to participate in a week long training exercise at Camp Lejeune. He was in the Navy at the time and the training was a part of his job. Before he left, he stopped by my apartment to say his good byes. He said the usual–I’m going to miss you and I’ll see you as soon as I get back–or something to that effect.

And then, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the keys to his car and his bank card. He gave me the pin number to his account and told me to spend whatever I needed for gas and any other shopping I wanted to do. I was stunned. I weakly tried to protest but he just kissed me on the forehead, said good bye and strolled out the door.

When he returned from training, he didn’t even go home. He had his friend drop him off at my place as we were so eager to see each other. When I greeted him at the door he scooped me up in his arms and held me in a long embrace. We made dinner plans and I gave him back the keys to his car and his bank card…

Years later, while reminiscing about how we first met, I asked my husband when he knew for sure that he was in love with me. He said when he returned home from his trip to Camp Lejeune and saw his car and checked his account. “When I saw that you had completely detailed my car and had added money to my account–I knew you were the one. You returned everything to me in better shape than I left it.”

We were married one month after that trip.

How to make a marriage work

When moving forward in your marriage you will face challenges and obstacles. It is inevitable. There are so many prevailing theories, teachings and schools of thought on how to make a marriage work. The reality is there is no one single recipe leading to marital bliss. You have to take a few very basic and fundamental principles and tailor them to meet the needs of you and your spouse.

The most critical of these basic principles is: Put your Spouse First

“If both of you are putting each other first then no one comes second.”

This quote goes against every selfish instinct that we as human beings have. Ego-centrism comes naturally. We all tend to focus on ourselves and our own selfish needs. However, the very essence of marriage and relationships center around the fact that it is no longer about you as an individual but about the marital unit. The goal in marriage and relationships should be to move from being selfish to selfless.

It’s incredibly difficult to put someone’s wants, needs, hopes, dreams and happiness ahead of your own.

Granted, this is easier to do when we’re blinded by passion  — as tends to happen during the “honeymoon period.” But doing it on an everyday basis isn’t easy. And that’s what love should be. It should be making the love of your life a top priority — day in and day out.

When two people in a relationship care more for each other than they do for themselves–they are on their way to finding true happiness. True happiness–I mean the deep down feeling of contentment, solitude and peace–comes from making others happy.

What does selflessness in a marriage look like?

Let’s be clear… Putting your spouse first, in no way means totally neglecting yourself and becoming a blind puppet. Sometimes to ensure the ultimate happiness of your spouse gentle push back on bad ideas may be required. Especially on things that may cause them harm and more headaches in the end. You may have to encourage them to have better eating and exercise habits and walk along side them through the process. It is loving them enough to always do what is best for them–and sometimes that causes conflict.

One of the most significant rules my husband and I live by is to always treat each other better than we treat others. What this means is the same courtesy, kindness and tolerance we extend to friends, family, associates and strangers, we extend to each other on a much higher level. When you are angry with your spouse, before you speak, ask yourself “would I say that to my mother, best friend or boss?” If it’s not appropriate to say it to anyone else it is definitely off limits for your spouse.

Find small ways to make your spouse feel cherished and special. Go out of your way for them every chance you get. Make them your number one priority–always. Marriage takes sacrifice and putting your spouse first is how to make a marriage work.

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3 Ways Napping Boosts Your Brain Power (And How To Maximize The Benefits)

It’s been said that everything we ever really need to know we learned in Kindergarten. Think about it. We learned: how to count, write our name, how to share and how to whisper.

One aspect of Kindergarten that most adults have given up on is “Nap Time.”

Sadly, napping is often frowned upon in our workaholic culture. Naps have gained the reputation for being for the lazy and unambitious. The person falling asleep at his or her desk at work is ridiculed. And when we doze off, we feel guilty.

3 Benefits of Napping

The nap has earned a bad rap–and unfairly so. Research has proven that there are some benefits of napping. Taking a short snooze can actually be a powerful tool for self-improvement. Naps can also increase our health overall well-being, our intelligence and productivity. Below are some direct benefits of napping:

1. Increases alertness

A NASA study found that a 40 minute nap increases alertness by 100%. Other studies have found that a 20 minute nap is more effective than both  200 mgs of caffeine (a cup of coffee)  and a bout of exercise.

Studies have shown that one of the primary benefits of napping is it’s restorative powers. In fact, if you break up your day with a nap, you will be refreshed and as alert and energetic for the second part of your day as you were for the first.

2. Improves memory and cognitive processing

One of the benefits of napping is that it improves your working memory and cognitive processing ability. So you remember more and think better. Working memory is involved when working on complex tasks where you have to process information and perform a myriad of tasks while still retaining a bunch of other information in your memory.

Researchers from Saarland University in Germany found that a short daytime nap significantly boosts brain function and that sleeping for about 45-60 minutes could improve learning and memory by fivefold.

3. Boosts creativity

A 2013 study conducted by scientists from Georgetown University’s Center for Functional and Molecular Imaging focused their research on examining the brain activity of participants who were napping. They found that the left brain—known for logic and analyzing (the “editing” side of the brain)—rested quietly. The right side of the brain, however—the side in charge of creativity and big-picture thinking (the “drafting” side of the brain)—chattered away to itself and the other side of the brain the whole time.

This showed researchers that the brain is able to engage in the creative process more efficiently and uninterrupted during sleep. And while you most likely won’t dream up the next big technological advancement during your 20 minute nap, researchers were able to determine that naps do assist in developing creative solutions for existing problems you’ve been grappling with. When you are awake your brain actively works on the problem–while performing many other functions–when you fall asleep, the creative center in your brain continues quietly mulling over the problem.

3 Ways to maximize the benefits of napping

Photo Credit: Timothy Krause on Flickr

Now that we understand the benefits associated with the mid-day snooze, here’s how we can make the most out of a quick session of shut eye.

1. Try to schedule time for naps

Researchers suggest keeping a regularly scheduled time for daily naps. The best time for a quick snooze falls in the middle of the day–between the hours of 1 PM and 3 PM. One study explains:

“Because of the natural cycles of our circadian rhythms, we are at our most tired twice during a 24-hour period. One peak of sleepiness is usually in the middle of the night, so the other, 12 hours later, falls smack-dab in the middle of the afternoon.”

2. Keep naps between 15 and 45 minutes

Napping for too long can cause sleep inertia–which is that groggy disoriented  feeling you have when you wake up and sometimes you may feel even more tired than you did before your nap.

The optimal time for a nap is 90-110 minutes as it allows your brain and body to experience the optimal balance of all 5 stages of sleep, or a full sleep cycle.

The problem with this is most of us do not have a 90 minute period between the hours of 1 P M and 3 PM to get in a full sized nap. So experts say the next best thing is to take a quick nap 10-20 minutes so that we remain in stages one and two of the sleep cycle. This allows our brains to rest and recover but keeps us from moving into the deeper levels of sleep and waking groggy and tired.

3. Take a caffeine nap

Sleep expert Michael Breus, Ph.D is a genius. He introduced the concept of the “napalatte” in an interview with the Huffington Post. How it works is first you quickly down a cup of coffee and then immediately take a 20 minute nap. The caffeine will kick in right after you wake up and you will be refreshed, energized and mentally sharp. It is the perfect pairing.

After this dynamic duo, “you’re good for four hours, guaranteed,” says Breus.

Final Word

Even if you don’t fall completely asleep and don’t make it past stage 1 of the sleep cycle, just a five or 10-minute power nap can still be beneficial especially if you’re feeling sleep-deprived. A 2002 study found that snoozing for just 10 minutes can result in greater feelings of alertness after a night of restricted sleep.

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