Napping Power – How a Snooze Can Do You Good

Posted in Blog Articles

We all know how essential sleep is to our general well being – normal adults need between six and eight hours each night to recharge our bodies so that we’re fit for a new day. But not many people know that there’s as much benefit in a daytime snooze, the forty winks we call “power naps”. For those of you who think it’s a sign of laziness to stretch out and take a trip to the land of Nod during the day, read on to see how a short nap can be extremely beneficial to both your physical and mental health:

  1. A 60 or 90-minute nap is equivalent to a sound night’s sleep. It helps recharge you, both mentally and physically, and keeps you alert and attentive throughout the rest of the day.
  2. Naps help you improve your concentration and memory power. Sleep helps your brain process information better.
  3. A short nap of 30 minutes or less, where you sleep soundly, improves your mood and gives you more energy to perform your duties as the day progresses. Energy levels normally flag as the day goes on, but a nap helps you overcome fatigue and weariness.
  4. Naps also improve your long-term memory, so you’re able to remember more things permanently.
  5. It makes you more productive in the post-lunch session of your day when most people tend to slack off and wait out the remaining hours of work.

Afternoon siestas are popular in countries like Spain and India, but it’s a fad that’s just catching on in the USA. More and more employers are realizing the benefits of a well-needed nap during the middle of the day and providing areas where employees can grab a few minutes of uninterrupted shut-eye.

.

What you need to remember though, is to avoid sleeping for long periods of time during the day. If you stretch your nap beyond an hour or ninety minutes, you’re likely to feel lethargic and dull when you wake up. Besides, you’re not likely to be able to sleep at night, and as a result, tend to wake up groggy and tired the next day. You compensate with a long nap in the afternoon, and you’re unable to sleep again at night. It’s a vicious cycle that continues to torment you, so make sure your naps are short and sweet – these are the kind that are recommended by experts and that give you the most benefits.