7 fun facts about naps you probably dont know

7 fun facts about naps you probably dont know7 fun facts about naps you probably dont knowIts no coincidence that National Napping Day occurs right after the return of daylight saving time. We know, your circadian rhythm is all out of whack and it feels like the only way to remedy the situation is to go to sleep. But before you drift off, here are some fun facts about the best part of the day - nap time - that you probably didnt know.Follow Ladders on FlipboardFollow Ladders magazines on Flipboard covering Happiness, Productivity, Job Satisfaction, Neuroscience, and more1. There arethree distinct types of nappersTheres the habitual napper who takes a nap at the same time every single day. Theres the planned napper who plans to snooze before she actually gets tired. And then theres the emergency napper who waits until shes so tired that she has to stop what shes doing ASAP and snooze. (Which one are you?)2. Naps are a great de-stressing toolYep, if youre feeling especially wrung out , ditching your stressor and taking a snooze instead can give your brain a brief vacation from whats bothering you and calm your central nervous system. Then, when you come back to it, youre more collected to solve the problem more effectively.3. The coffee nap is one of the most effective ways to rebound your energy levels.Simply drink a cup of coffee and then sprawl out on the couch for your power nap. Twenty minutes later when you wake up, youll feel more refreshed and alert than ever. The boost you feel from caffeine doesnt typically kick in at full force until about 30 minutes after youve consumed it, and napping during that period of time helps your body process its existing feelings of drowsiness while you wait for the caffeine to take effect. Win-win.4. You dont have to fall asleep to reap the benefits of a napEven if you spend 20 minutes just lying down with your eyes closed, you can safely and effectively lower your blood pressure, relieving additional stress that your bod y is experiencing. So if you cant drift off, dont sweat it. Just pretend that youre lying on a beach somewhere and soak it all in.5. Humans nap differently than other mammalsThe vast majority of other mammals in the animal kingdom sleep for short periods of time throughout the day whenever their bodies tell them they need to rest. We, on the other hand, designate a large chunk of time for sleep and a large chunk of time for wakefulness, intentionally delaying rest even when we feel tired.6. Your body has an ideal nap timeAccording to researchersat the University of California-Berkeley, the best time to take a nap is right in the middle of your wake cycle. So, if you can, aim to nap eight hours after waking up in the morning and eight hours before going to bed at night.7. Theres such a thing as a napping competitionIts called theNational Siesta Championship, and its held in Madrid. In the past, the winner even got to take home a cash prize. Um, where do we sign up?This article first appeared on Swirled.You might also enjoyNew neuroscience reveals 4 rituals that will make you happyStrangers know your social class in the first seven words you say, study finds10 lessons from Benjamin Franklins daily schedule that will double your productivityThe worst mistakes you can make in an interview, according to 12 CEOs10 habits of mentally strong people