Page Chen, G10, RDF International School

The circles under my eyes had become darker and darker ever since the summer holiday began. My energy was constantly slipping away during the day, making me feel tired and gloomy.

Colorful apps, attractive social media, and addictive mobile games steal our precious sleeping time. We are left with less and less time for decent rest. The addiction to screen and rising screen time is ubiquitous, potentially harming our health.

I wanted to have a good sleep and regain my energy, so my grandmother suggested that I take a nap during the afternoon. But then I started to question, do we need to take a nap if we sleep enough at night? Is taking an afternoon nap good for our health? After completing my research, I discovered some quite interesting facts about naps.

Taking short naps in the afternoon is beneficial for our health, and some research has shown that they can improve our memories. The recommended duration for a power nap is usually around 20 minutes or less. However, long naps are warning signs of us not getting enough sleep during the night, according to Harvard Health Publishing. If we find that we need to take long naps regularly to restore our energy and avoid sleepiness, we need to reschedule our bedtime for a night of better sleep.

As I rescheduled my timetable, I also found some helpful tips for better nighttime sleep. It is very important to have a regular sleep schedule due to our circadian rhythms. We need to sleep at around the same time every night. Besides, turning off electronic devices one hour before bedtime or setting your phone to night filter mode is necessary to avoid blue light disturbing us from falling asleep. Exercising enough, especially doing yoga during the daytime, improves our sleep as well.

Having a good sleep is more about getting a good rest; it also positively influences our health, improves our memories, and prevents the development of depression and heart diseases.

It’s time to scrutinize and optimize your bedtime schedule now. Good sleep promotes good health, which is invaluable asset to each and every one of us.