Benefits of Napping with a Donut Blanket
Naps are great for us! Naps not only are a wonderful way to re-energize but naps are excellent for our minds, emotions, and overall sanity. Did you know one of the most comfortable ways to nap is with a Donut Blanket? More on that later. While it is undisputed that naps are amazing, there are actually four different ways for you to nap and each one has a different purpose. If you are even a little bit curious — keep reading.
Mind Breaks (5-10 minutes)
This is for the people that never seem to have enough time in a day but need just a little brain jolt. Carve out 5-10 minutes of your day and indulge in a mind-break nap. Unless you have napping superpowers, there’s no way that you will fall asleep fast enough to only be able to sleep for 5-10 minutes. This is where mind naps come into play. Mind naps aren’t really about catching zzz’s, instead, this is more of a brain-relaxing rest to help you be able to refocus and center yourself.
To take a mental break, set aside your work and turn off your phone. Take five to ten minutes to yourself and refocus. This could be by doing breathing exercises, stretching, speaking affirmations, laying your head down and shutting off the world, or even staring off into the distance and enjoying the view. Anything that makes your brain pause and refocuses is the perfect way to spend a mind-break nap... you should check out A Food Blanket is the Perfect Way to Relax for more mind-break ideas!
The Power Nap (10-30 minutes)
We have all heard of the power nap. In fact, this may have been what got you through your early 20s and you stayed up until midnight cramming for an exam. No matter what your age may be — a power nap is an incredible way to re-energize your body when you don’t have a lot of time in your day.
The best part about a power nap is that it’s efficient! Just 10-30 minutes of your day can be used to help you re-focus and restore your energy levels. Because power naps are so short, they don’t allow you to go into that deep sleep state and take advantage of your natural sleep cycle (which is about 90 minutes). When you don’t go into a deep sleep state — you wake up less groggy. And how do you take the ultimate power nap? I’m so glad you asked.
First, set an alarm for this special time in your day. If you have the time, the ideal power nap is about 20-30 minutes but if you are only able to do 15 minutes that’s okay as well. Just don’t forget to set the alarm or you might be in for some trouble.
Second, try not to take a nap later in the day. The later you nap, the harder it will be to snooze when it’s actually time to sleep. Try for 12pm-3pm if you are going to take a power nap. This will help to give you a burst of energy throughout the rest of your day without killing your sleep schedule later on that night.
The third thing is to make it cozy! If you have no other option than to sleep in your car for twenty minutes then so be it. But if you can, make your nap worthwhile! Be sure you are taking your power nap in a cold and dark place so you fall asleep quickly, ensure that you are in a place that is quiet, and don’t forget something cozy to snuggle up with! If you have a favorite blanket then it’s time to cuddle up. If you don’t have a favorite blanket (or maybe you are looking for a new one) try out one of our cozy fleece food blankets! You might as well stay warm while having fun with our funny blankets at the same time (especially one as comfortable as our donut blanket)!
Once you are in a quiet, dark, cold, and blanket-warmed place all you have to do is turn your brain off and snooze!
Long Naps (45-60 minutes)
Long naps are bittersweet. While a long nap is definitely a restful experience, it can leave you a little more groggy when you wake up. (This might not be the one you want to take before a meeting.)
The benefits of long naps are that they give you the best mental reset. Taking a long nap leaves you more alert, aware, and cognitive than a quick power nap will. Long naps will also help you with your memory, improves how you learn things, and can boost your overall mood.
It’s easy to fall asleep for long naps since you are already tired and you aren’t having to worry about how quickly your alarm with go off. If you are wanting a comfortable nap that will walk you quickly into dreamland then follow the same steps as the power nap. Make sure you are in a cool and dark place, try and nap somewhere with little noise, and wrap yourself up in that food blanket for the best 60 minutes of your afternoon.
Full Sleep Cycle (90 minutes)
If you have the time in your day to crash out on the couch or chair for a long nap, then you just won the jackpot of naps! Being able to take a nap for your full sleep cycle will leave you fully alert with no feelings of grogginess, can boost your memory and alertness, and leave you feeling more rejuvenated. The only downside of a full-cycle nap is actually having the time to take one of these bad boys.
Allowing yourself the time for a full sleep cycle nap may look a little different from person to person. This may be the nap that happens on your couch on the weekends or the nap that is desperately needed in the middle of the work week that you have to carve time out for. While it may be harder to find the time to take a 90-minute nap, the benefits of it are undeniable. Not only is a full cycle nap incredible for your brain health but it is also fantastic for your overall physical health. With that being said, why mandatory naps in the middle of the day aren’t a thing I’ll never know.
No matter what kind of time you have in a day — naps are good and they are important. So if you only have 15 minutes to refresh, take that power nap with pride. For the ones that are lucky enough to get an hour or full sleep cycle, enjoy those glorious minutes for the rest of making it through on overpriced caffeine.
Napping with our Donut Blanket!
Tired of bland naps? Upgrade your sleep game with our fan-favorite delicious donut blanket! Not only are they cozy and fun, but their built-in foot pouch option will keep your feet extra toasty during those cold winter days. Get ready for an even better snoozing experience - no calories included (but the satisfaction is guaranteed)!
