LIGHT sleep can be as good for your health as deep slumbers, an expert has revealed.
Simple short naps can help boost energy, brain power and memory more than many people think, according to a new report.
GettyDon’t underestimate the helpful healthy effects of a light nap, a doctor says[/caption]
Dr Chester Wu outlined the many unexpected benefits of grabbing 40 winks as opposed to deep sleep throughout the night, in his role as medical reviewer for sleep tracker app Rise.
There are five different stages to sleep – wake, N1, N2, N3 and REM – with each being deeper than the last.
REM, or rapid eye movement, is the deepest and believed by many to be the most beneficial – helping boost memory and concentration levels as well as the body’s immune system.
But Dr Wu insists light sleep – the N1 and N2 phases, typically comprising up to half our time asleep – is critical to health too, the MailOnline reports.
He said: “Light sleep serves as a transition between wakefulness and the deeper stages of sleep.
“It allows the body and mind to slow down and prepare for deep sleep and REM sleep, which are crucial for physical and mental restoration.”
Physical effects during light sleep include drops in heart rate, blood pressure and body temperature.
This allows the body to conserve energy and focus more on restoration and recovery.
Meanwhile, there are also flickers of brain activity known as “sleep spindles” which scientists say can help consolidate memory.
Dr Wu said: “Light sleep is critical for health and wellbeing.
“While REM sleep is often linked to memory consolidation, recent studies suggest that light sleep also plays a role in this process, especially in the consolidation of motor memory – the memory of how to do physical tasks.
“Short periods of light sleep, such as power naps, can increase alertness and cognitive performance.”
How much light sleep we need varies not only between individuals but also from day to day.
Dr Wu added: ‘Healthy sleep will include all stages of sleep based on your needs – our brains optimise nightly based on factors like our health and whether we’re sleep deprived.
‘To get enough of any stage of sleep, the best thing we can do is to prioritize getting enough naturalistic sleep through healthy sleep hygiene habits, rather than focusing solely on increasing or decreasing time spent in a particular sleep stage.”
His advice comes after a report by scientists at University College London last week suggested afternoon naps could help stave off dementia.
It has also been recommended that people go for two sleeps a day rather than aim for the recommended eight hours overnight.
Yet other experts have offered tips on how to make sure you get more deep sleep to feel better-rested.