|
Sign up for our newsletters!
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy       Subscribe to O, The Oprah Magazine
Photo: Thinkstock

It's 2 P.M. on a busy Saturday and you're falling asleep on your feet—but you're only halfway through your holiday shopping list. Go home and take a nap or push through and turn in early?

"Don't go to bed earlier than usual. You should follow the same schedule every night, including weekends, so you don't mess with your circadian clock and disrupt your regular sleep rhythm. Take a ten- to 15-minute snooze (your car will do if you're far from home), then keep shopping. That's all you need to rejuvenate and get through the rest of the day. Sleeping for 60 minutes would leave you groggy, and since 90 minutes is typically a full REM cycle, napping for that long would likely make it hard to fall asleep at your normal bedtime."—James B. Maas, PhD, author of Power Sleep, former chair of psychology at Cornell University, and coiner of the term "power nap"

From the December 2012 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine
Loading...
Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement
IN THE CURRENT ISSUE
Grow your life! Get an exclusive look at Oprah's new farm, uncover 28 fresh ideas for happier living, and learn Bob Greene's top secret to eating smarter. Plus, find out how you can win a trip to Hawaii to have lunch with Oprah!
see all new stories