In lockdown, if your work permits, you can and must enjoy a siesta, after you are done with other chores.
Our schedule has almost entirely changed during the lockdown. Working from home, while we are able to save our commute hours, we are also sleeping late, and waking up at odd hours. This has, in a way, affected our health — both mental and physical. A recent survey found that while adults are sleeping for longer hours, the quality of sleep has deteriorated.
Most people are also looking for ways and means to stay fit and healthy. Not able to go out, they are trying to keep their weight in check at home. But, science says that the weight of the body also depends on how much rest you give to it. Besides exercising, you need to eat right and clock in at least seven hours of sleep every night.
In lockdown, if your work permits, you can and must enjoy a siesta, after you are done with other chores. If you are thinking it will make you gain more weight, you are not really aware of the benefits. Experts say it can improve your metabolism.
A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine has found that those who are overweight, have approximately 16 minutes of less sleep every day, compared to those who have a regular body weight.
A Harvard Medical School study also found that people generally burn 10 per cent more calories when they sleep in the afternoon, than in the morning. Scientifically speaking, not getting enough sleep can affect the hunger hormone in the body, called ghrelin, which can make you binge-eat. This in turn can make you gain weight. It is, therefore, advisable that if you are not able to sleep well at night, you can try and catch some shuteye in the afternoon, so as to give some respite to your body.
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Here’s a summary of the benefits of sleeping in the afternoon:
* It makes you more focused and alert
* You are able to finish your tasks in a more efficient manner
* It can lower your stress
* It can make you mentally sharper by allowing the brain to rest a little
Are you now beginning to consider it?after
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