Naps Make You Groggy? What to Do

One of the questions or at least problems that some people tell me, Dr. Breus, I go, I take a nap, and I feel worse when I get up than I did when I fell asleep. Well, that means that you've napped too long, because then you've gone into deep sleep and you're going to have a real hard time pulling yourself out of that deep sleep.

Now is it just because you woke up in the middle of that deep sleep?

Generally speaking, if you wake up in the middle of that deep sleep, it's really hard to shake that sleepiness feeling and that's when you don't feel so good.

What can you do if that does happen to you?

Truthfully, there's not a whole lot.

: coffee pouring, dishes clanking

You could have some caffeine, which would help bring you out of it. Caffeine, by the way, I don't have a problem with caffeine. I don't have a problem with people drinking coffee, I just want them to do it responsibly and know and understand the effects of caffeine. So, if you wake up from a nap and you feel worse than you did before, having some caffeine will probably help. The biggest thing that's going to help though, is walking outside and getting sunlight. Sunlight is, it directly affects your body's ability to produce melatonin. Because remember, you don't produce melatonin in the light. So, if you wake up and you don't feel so hot, before you go and grab that soda or coffee, I'd say walk outside and get a little bit of sunlight and even walk around a little bit and you should be able shake yourself out of it pretty quick.