When Should I Sleep
Watch Your Napping Time
While napping is definitely effective at making up for lost sleep, it should not be done for more than thirty minutes. Power napping is effective and only needs to be for approximately 20 minutes. If you sleep longer, you may even feel groggy when you wake up.
Napping should also be done in the early afternoon, just after lunch is best, rather than napping too close to retiring. If you are an insomniac, it will be better if you don’t nap. If you do you will only make your sleep scheduling worse, and your night will likely be another sleepless one.
Boost Your Melatonin Hormone Production
Melatonin is our body’s naturally occurring sleep hormone. Its production is regulated by our exposure to light. Your brain needs plenty of melatonin at night to make you sleep, and less during the day to help you stay alert. Make sure the light in your bedroom is turned off so that your body’s melatonin production will not be disrupted. The darker, the better – even a little will impair the quality of your sleep.
If avoiding lights at night makes you fall asleep, having exposure to light during the day is just as essential. When your body is exposed to too much light at night, your body will believe that it is day time. Alternatively, you need to get plenty of real sunlight during the day to keep you awake and help with your own natural body clock. Exposing yourself to daylight in the very early morning will ‘switch on’ your brain. If you start feeling tired at work, take the time to go outside during your break, and feel the sun’s rays. By doing so you will be subjecting your body to its much-needed sunlight.
"Sleep is the Bedrock of Health" - SnoreMeds South Africa