Why Do I Feel So Much Worse After A Nap – And How Can I Avoid It?

I woke up connected nan sofa emotion nauseous and groggy, pinch a needle-jabbing-my-temples headache. Was it nan flu? Did I eat thing bad? There was drool connected my cheek, and I glanced astatine nan clock. I remembered checking nan clip astatine 1.30 pm; it was now 4pm.

I’d accidentally taken a nap.

Many group opportunity there’s thing for illustration a bully nap – but not me. It ever gives maine stomach-turning nausea, usually for nan remainder of nan day.

So I do my champion to debar dozing, moreover erstwhile I request nan rest. In college, I’d powerfulness done moreover if I pulled an all-nighter. But now, as a mom, my no-nap manner is much difficult to maintain. I consciousness for illustration I’m playing real-life “would you rather”: zombie-tired from staying up each nighttime pinch my crying babe aliases spin-cycle sick?

Dr Waiz Wasey, a Mayo Clinic-trained slumber expert based successful Scottsdale, Arizona, says symptoms specified arsenic nausea, dizziness and lightheadedness aft a nap are common. These tin alteration from mild to day-ruining, and could person different causes. Because of this, he says, curen isn’t one-size-fits-all.

Why do I consciousness sick aft a nap?

There are respective reasons group mightiness acquisition nausea, dizziness aliases a mostly unwell emotion aft a nap.

Sleep inertia: Wasey says slumber inertia, characterized by dizziness, lightheadedness, nausea and disorientation, is 1 of nan main reasons group consciousness sick aft taking a snooze.

Sleep cycles typically past astir 90 minutes, which includes three slumber stages positive REM sleep. People usually spell done 3 aliases 4 slumber cycles per night, but erstwhile nappers aftermath without completing a afloat cycle, they whitethorn acquisition unpleasant, often disorienting, symptoms, he says.

Most cases of slumber inertia are mild and resoluteness connected their ain after astir 20 minutes, says Dr Funke Afolabi-Brown, a triple-board-certified slumber medicine expert based successful Philadelphia. But utmost cases tin impact “debilitating symptoms lasting 4 to six hours, sometimes pinch vomiting aliases panic-like symptoms”.

Sleep inertia isn’t nap-specific: it tin besides hap erstwhile you aftermath from a night’s sleep. But this is little common, says Wasey, arsenic personification who has completed a fewer slumber cycles feels much restored upon waking.

Symptoms besides thin to beryllium much terrible aft a nap because of your body’s circadian rhythm, aliases earthy regular slumber cycle. “Your assemblage isn’t expecting to slumber successful nan afternoon,” Afolabi-Brown says. “Morning grogginess usually resolves wrong 15-30 minutes, while post-nap symptoms whitethorn persist longer.”

Wasey notes that group who person slumber apnea, insomnia aliases sleep deprivation are much apt to acquisition much utmost symptoms of slumber inertia.

Gastrointestinal issues: Acid reflux – besides called gastroesophageal reflux aliases heartburn – is simply a communal origin of nausea, dizziness and thorax symptom aft resting, says Dr Bharat Pothuri, a board-certified gastroenterologist based successful Houston, Texas. It is characterized by tummy acerb walking into nan esophagus, and lying down aft eating makes it worse, says Pothuri.

Just astir everyone will acquisition immoderate acerb reflux now and then, Pothuri adds, particularly aft eating fatty aliases acidic foods. But immoderate acquisition much terrible symptoms. About 20% of nan US population is affected by predominant acerb reflux, aliases gastroesophageal reflux illness (also known arsenic Gerd), and is much apt to acquisition nausea aft lying down.

Stomach issues tin show up aft a afloat night’s rest, but it’s particularly communal for daytime snoozers because they whitethorn dishonesty down straight aft luncheon aliases a snack.

Dr Rucha Mehta Shah, a board-certified gastroenterologist successful Scottsdale, Arizona, says fare plays a role. “Certain foods for illustration fatty, fried, creamy, dairy aliases high-fiber foods tin beryllium longer and origin much symptoms,” she says.

Other causes: Dehydration and debased humor sweetener tin make a personification consciousness unwell upon waking, says Wasey. Sleep apnea, a information wherever one’s breathing stops and starts abruptly during sleep, tin origin symptoms specified arsenic headaches, sore pharynx and moreover anxiety. “Disruptions successful breathing tin lead to drops successful oxygen levels that tin trigger headaches, dizziness, and nausea,” he explains.

Less communal issues see dysautonomia, nan inability to modulate involuntary assemblage functions specified arsenic bosom complaint and humor pressure, and benign paroxysmal positional vertigo, characterized by dizziness aft your caput changes positions, specified arsenic lying down aliases sitting up successful bed.

If you fishy immoderate of these, Wasey says to talk pinch a doctor.

Does nan magnitude of a nap matter?

A short slumber is simply a safe bet.

“We ever promote naps to beryllium brief: 20 minutes aliases less,” says Wasey. “If a nap is much than 20 minutes, it tin spell into heavy sleep. If they aftermath during heavy sleep, they’re much apt to acquisition unpleasant symptoms upon waking.”

If a speedy lie-down doesn’t look for illustration enough, springiness yourself clip to complete 1 afloat 90-minute slumber cycle. “I show patients to either do a 20-minute aliases a 90-minute nap,” he says.

If GI issues are causing problems, support nan nap nether half an hour, says Pothuri. The digestive strategy tends to slow down aft 20 minutes of sleep, which intends nutrient stays successful nan tummy longer. Plus, little horizontal clip intends little clip for tummy acerb to irritate nan esophagus.

How tin you forestall and dainty post-nap nausea?

Keep naps short, says Wasey – aliases skip them altogether. It helps to person a bully night’s rest, he says: “Start a bedtime regular by winding down, reference a book aliases meditating, and limit bluish ray 1 to 2 hours earlier existent bedtime.”

Afolabi-Brown says that if you return a nap, doing truthful earlier successful nan time tin thief guarantee you don’t person problem sleeping astatine night. Snoozing excessively agelong aliases excessively precocious successful nan time tin trim your sleep drive, nan unit to slumber that builds successful our bodies nan longer we’re awake.

If you fishy GI issues, Shah recommends waiting until your nutrient has digested earlier lying down – ideally 3 to 4 hours. If that’s not realistic, effort to debar spicy, acidic and fatty foods earlier napping. And erstwhile you dishonesty down, prop yourself up pinch pillows aliases an adjustable mattress. “We want to activity pinch gravity,” says Shah. “Keeping nan caput and thorax elevated will mean little acerb wounded to nan little portion of nan esophagus.”

Over-the-counter antacids tin alleviate symptoms, but if discomfort persists, Shah recommends seeing a doctor. Prescription medications whitethorn supply much relief, aliases a expert whitethorn want to cheque for different issues successful nan esophagus, specified arsenic infection, ulcers aliases esophagitis.

After speaking pinch nan experts, I group speech a time to effort their advice. I kept meal and luncheon simple, swapping an acidic orangish for toast and ignoring lasagne leftovers successful favour of a ray salad. When my boy went down for a nap, I made a mini upland of pillows to prop myself up and group an siren for 20 minutes. When I woke up, I felt refreshed, rested and happy – nary nausea aliases encephalon fog.

I don’t ever person nan forethought to debar triggering foods aliases put pillows. But acknowledgment to these adjustments, I’ve discovered that location really is thing for illustration a bully nap.

• Jillian Pretzel is simply a freelance journalist successful Southern California