The Power Of Afternoon Naps- No, They Don't Cause Weight Gain!

Napping in the afternoon is something that you have seen parents and grandparents doing for years. Anywhere between 10 to 30 minutes of afternoon nap can help in improving your productivity and overall health, says nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. Ideally, the afternoon nap should be taken immediately after lunch, preferably between 1 pm to 3 pm. The same should be avoided any time between 4 pm to 7 pm, recommends Rujuta. Accelerated recovery, improved hormonal balance and heart health, and weight loss are a few of the many health benefits that taking an afternoon nap offers.

Reasons why you need to take an afternoon nap

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Afternoon napping is one of the many lifestyle tips that are time-tested and followed by generations. "The nap can solve existing problems and prevent those of the future," writes Rujuta in her live session post on Facebook.

"It is one of the most critical but overlooked aspects of wellbeing. In fact, it is probably also the most misunderstood aspect. People associate it with lethargy, obesity and fear that it may lead to no sleep in the night but nothing could be further away from the truth," she says.

What's more is that even Cristiano Ronaldo, amongst the greatest athletes of our times attributes his performances to the afternoon nap.

Taking an afternoon nap can prevent sluggishness you feel post lunch
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Also read: Sleepy All The Time? Here Are Some Possible Reasons You Must Know

Health benefits of afternoon nap

1. It helps in improving heart health and is especially beneficial for people with high blood pressure.

2. Afternoon naps can improve hormonal balance. This can especially be beneficial for people with diabetes, PCOD, thyroid and those who are prone to overeating.

3. If you are facing indigestion troubles like constipation, IBS, acne and dandruff.

4. An afternoon nap can improve your sleep quality at night. In fact, it is one way to deal with jet lags and insomnia.

5. Sleeping for a short while in afternoon can improve recovery from an illness and even a workout.

6. Afternoon naps can cause weight gain is anything but true. Because of all the reasons mentioned above, taking an afternoon nap can improve fat loss.

An afternoon nap can aid fat loss as well
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How to take an afternoon nap?

As mentioned above, an afternoon nap should be taken immediately after lunch, preferably between 1 pm to 3 pm. Take the nap on your left side. If you are at work or at school, put your head down on the desk and take a nap. The nap should not be of less than 10 minutes and more than 30 minutes. Only young children, older adults and those recovering from an illness can take naps in the afternoon of around 90 minutes, says Rujuta.

You need to avoid taking the nap between 4 pm to 7 pm as it can cause sleep disturbance at night. Avoid smoking, chocolate, coffee, tea after having lunch. Do not sleep with a TV on.

An afternoon nap can help in preventing sluggishness post lunch and also improve your productivity for the rest of the day. As Rujuta says, "Make afternoon naps great again!".

Also read: Here's How Sleeping Well Can Help You Achieve Your Weight Loss Goals

(Rujuta Diwekar is a nutritionist based in Mumbai)

Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.