Want to speed up weight loss during quarantine? Take afternoon naps

Midday snoozing has a lot of health benefits including weight loss, better performance, etc. Read on tofindout more reasonsto take afternoon naps during the quarantine days.

Schools and offices remain shut, people are stuck at homes, the whole country is under the lockdown, thanks to the COVID-19 outbreak. Everyone is doing their bit to flatten the curve by taking precautions and staying indoors. People are also stocking up on essential items so that they don't have to step out often. So, when you're at home 24/7 there's hardly much to do apart from the household chores, if you're not working from home. Therefore,many of us enjoy an afternoon nap while in self-quarantine. But some weight watchers may be a bit skeptical about it, assuming that afternoon naps may lead to extra kilos. But that's not completely true.

In fact, researchers say taking a nap in the afternoon can help improve your metabolism and aid weight loss. A study published in Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who are overweight have 16 minutes lesser sleep per day than those who have regular weight. Another study from the Harvard Medical School found that people reduce 10% more calories during the late afternoon while resting than in the morning. Also, not getting enough sleep can trigger your body's hormone called ghrelic which is a hunger hormone. As per a research from Stanford University, this may make you to feel hungrier and gain weight. In case you are falling short of sleep at night, try catching some of it in the noon to give your body some rest.

So, guys feel free to snooze during the day when you have some weight to lose. However, if you are still not convinced about taking a nap during the day then just go through a few other health benefits which midday napping provide:

Boosts your alertness and efficiency

Ashort afternoonnap may actually help you become more efficient and alert at work. Yes, some researchers from the Stanford University found that emergency room clinicians who on an average had 25-minute nap had fewer performance lapses. They were reported to be more efficient with their work, less fatigued and less sleepy than those who didn't take a nap.

Increases your ability to learn

Some studies on healthy adults found that a half-n-hour nap during the day can result in improving your performance and learning abilities. Therefore, it is recommended that you take out 30 minutes of your time for a midday snooze.

Sharpens your memory

Trying to remember what your friend spoke to you about last night or an important instruction from your boss on call?Taking a little nap may help you recollect your memory. Yes, according to a study published in Behavioural Brain Research, around 1 hour of nap can improve your verbal memory.

Lowers your blood pressure levels

Some studies revealed that people who napped during the noon for atleast 45 minutes had lower average blood pressure after stress than those who didn't nap. This indicates that snoozing can help your body to relax even after you wake up!