– An article by Karan Modi
When you don’t get enough sleep at night, you may be enticed to fuel your body with cups of coffee. However, sometimes even caffeine will not do the trick. This is where power napping comes into action. It will recharge your mind and body and help you survive the post-lunch crash in the office.
Moreover, many European countries along with Japan have welcomed the introduction of power napping in corporate offices. Even though power napping has many health benefits, it is not widely popular in the USA and other Asian countries.
Potential health benefits of power napping include boosted memory, enhanced cognitive performance, and a stronger mindset. However, power napping for too long can hamper a person’s circadian rhythms, which can increase the feeling of tiredness.
Here, we will help you understand what power napping is and its benefits along with some of its negatives. So, let’s begin.
What is Power Napping?
Power naps are short daytime naps that can last anywhere between 10 minutes to 30 minutes. These naps are called power naps as they are meant to provide an energy boost when feeling sluggish and tired, especially after lunch.
This type of sleep provides more patience, reduces stress, increases learning capacity, and boosts efficiency. A power nap is most effective when a person misses sleep the other night. Now, missed sleep can adversely affect your health in many ways.
The Negative Effects of Missed Sleep!
Not sleeping enough will not only drain your physical energy but will also put your mental health at risk. Poor slumber is linked with several health problems such as weight gain, less efficiency, and a weakened immune system.
Missed sleep will make you grumpy and groggy along with causing memory issues, trouble with concentration, mood swings, burnout, high blood pressure, accidents, low sex drive, and poor balance.
Thus, sleeping at least 6 to 7 hours is essential for humans. However, the busy schedule of modern lives has made it almost impossible for humans to enjoy sleep for this many hours. This is where power napping plays a huge role. However, there should be a specific time when you should power nap.
What is the Best Time to Power Nap?
Now, there’s no definite time for a power nap as it depends on the individual. For instance, people who work 9 to 5 should power nap before or after the ‘post-lunch slump’, which is sometimes between 12:00 to 3:00.
People doing day jobs should not sleep after 4 PM as sleeping too late in the evening can interfere with getting quality sleep. This can interrupt your circadian rhythms. On the other hand, night workers or shift workers should take power naps may be earlier or later. Now, sleeping too much or too little can also harm your body.
How Much Should You Sleep During Power Nap?
Well, this is one of the most debated questions among experts. Now, when you sleep, you pass through various stages, which is known as the sleep cycle.
The sleep cycle consists of light sleep, deep sleep(a stage where the body repairs itself), and rapid-eye-movement (a stage where our mind gets repaired).
The longer you sleep, the more difficult it is for you to wake up. According to various research, 1-hour sleep reaps more rewards than a half an hour’s nap. It can enhance your cognitive functioning and has restorative effects.
The length of your nap depends on your schedule. If you have only 15 minutes on your hands, take a nap! Additionally, if you have a 5-minute window, rest your eyes and relax for a bit as it can reduce stress and help you recharge yourself to finish your tasks. Now, let’s see some steps on how you can take a power nap.
How to Take a Power Nap?
As mentioned earlier, there are sleep cycles, which are divided into four stages. Stages 1 and 2 are light sleep, stage 3 is deep sleep, and stage 4 is rapid-eye-movement sleep. Now, whether you will wake up feeling refreshed or groggy will depend on the stage you wake up in.
The perfect time to wake up is when you are in stage 1 or two. However, if you feel grumpy then you may have woken up during deep sleep or REM sleep stages. No worries, we will help you with some helpful tips that can help you enjoy a successful power nap.
To get the most out of the power nap without feeling grumpy when you wake up, ensure that you keep it short. According to a study, waking up after 10-20 minutes is a good range to wake up refreshed.
Avoid taking a nap after 4 PM as it could mess with your natural night sleep cycle, which could invite a host of medical ailments.
If you can, find a dark, cool, and quiet room to take your power nap. This type of atmosphere will signal your mind that it is time for you to sleep, which will help you doze off quickly.
Before you power nap, ensure that you set an alarm to avoid oversleeping. As mentioned, 10-20 minutes is the ideal range, so set your alarm accordingly. Now, let’s see some benefits of power napping.
How Power Napping can Benefit Your Body?
There are abundant benefits of power napping. It can improve your lifestyle and enhance your health as well. So, let’s see some pros of power napping:
-
Boosts Productivity
According to various studies, napping can enhance mood, attentiveness, and memory. Additionally, taking a nap in the afternoon can help you unwind and release tension. Thus, these naps are known as “power naps” as they increase your productivity and the functioning of your body.
-
Control Blood Pressure
A study, conducted by the American College of Cardiology, indicated that afternoon naps can decrease blood pressure significantly. It can lower blood pressure by 5 to 7 mm Hg, which is equal to taking a low-dose blood pressure medicine.
-
Stimulate Recovery and Growth
While we sleep, our body recovers itself and heals the mental and physical harm inflicted due to stress or pollutants. Moreover, daytime naps can also increase the release of growth hormone, which in turn, repairs tissues and muscles.
-
Increase Learning and Understanding Ability
REM sleep holds the most power when it comes to restoration. It helps recuperation of the body. This paves way for imagination, in-depth comprehension, and apprehension of the information you have gathered till that time.
Final Thoughts
Overall, power napping can be a valuable tool for improving cognitive and physical performance, reducing stress, and promoting relaxation. By incorporating power napping into your daily routine, you can improve your overall health and well-being, and enjoy the benefits of increased productivity and reduced stress levels.
