The schedule we sleep at - quality life

Many people lead a hectic lifestyle, with a heavy work and study load, making it difficult for them to get the necessary hours of rest at night. This often forces them to make constant readjustments to balance their rest time and spread it over the daytime hours. The erroneous belief that the important thing is to sleep at least 8 hours during the day, without considering the time when we decide to go to bed, can lead to serious mistakes, such as reversing the time of rest and work, performing long working hours at night and sleeping during the day.

Another question that generates many doubts is whether we should take short naps during the day or whether it is better to accumulate exhaustion to achieve a deep sleep at night. In this guide, we will address some of the above-mentioned points, with the aim of deepening your knowledge about the characteristics and peculiarities of the sleep process, as well as efficiently structuring your sleep schedule.

Daytime sleep vs. nighttime sleep

Human beings are biologically programmed to sleep at night and remain active during the day. The secretion or inhibition of certain hormones while we sleep depends on whether it is day or night. Sleeping at night is not only healthier, but also essential for the body to function properly and ensure a restful sleep.

Reversing sleep schedules on a regular basis is not recommended. We must understand that we have a complex biological clock that makes us feel sleepy when the scheduled rest time approaches. Our body adapts to the conditions to which it is frequently subjected, either in terms of schedule or duration. Therefore, it is advisable to avoid major variations in these patterns in order to achieve a deep and restful sleep.

If the need arises, you will not suffer serious consequences from taking a prolonged rest during the day if you have not had the opportunity to rest at night. However, try to avoid making this a habitual practice and plan your daily routines to ensure that you have enough time to rest at night.

Can I take short naps during the day?

The decision to take short naps during the day should be based on the particularities of each person. The first thing to define is what is considered a short nap, if it exceeds 30 minutes, it probably does not qualify as a short nap. Short naps can help you replenish your energy when your night's rest has not been sufficient and your daytime routine is extremely tiring.

However, one problem that can arise from taking extended naps is that they can affect nighttime sleep. Sleeping during the day may prevent you from feeling sleepy at night. Evaluate whether you really need that nap and try to keep it to no more than 30 minutes.

Ideally, adjust the scheduling of your daily routines to ensure that you get the rest your body needs at night. If you apply enough discipline and optimize your efforts to be productive, it is likely that you will not need to resort to naps to make up for the rest time.

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