A power nap, is generally, a short sleep taken during the working day in order to restore one’s mental alertness. Below are some of the top benefits of power naps in adults.
How Long Should A Nap Be For Adults?
The length of the time you nap, has an impact on the health benefits, you gain from your short, light sleep.
A power nap, usually occurs from 1:00 to 4:00 PM, and lasts between 10 and 30 minutes. Any individual who has a longer nap, develops sleep inertia, and naps later than 4:00, can interrupt, your nighttime sleep.
A nap, taken for half-hour, can be a few minutes too long. This nap, depends, on how much time it takes for your body to fall into deeper stages of sleep. Waking up, at this time of sleep, can be harder, as you may feel weak or unsteady, when you wake up.
According to research, an individual, who takes six-minute naps, also known as ultra-short sleep episodes, can improve long-term memory that pertains to our ability to recall facts and knowledge, and a nap taken in 60-minute period, is good for cognitive memory processing.
7 Benefits of Power Nap For Adults
A power nap, refreshes your mind and increases overall energy and alertness.
1. Increases alertness – When you sleep for a longer time, it will be difficult for you to open your eyelids even. Instead, make time for a short nap. According to research, a nap taken for a 40-minute period, increases alertness by 100%, and some other studies, have found that, a nap taken for a period of 20 minutes, is much more effective than taking a 200mg caffeine, or a short period of exercise.
Other studies, have shown that pilots, who were allowed to take a power nap of 25 minutes, made less mistakes, during takeoffs and landings. If you break up your day with a nap, you will be as alert and energetic for the remaining part of your day, as you were in the first, according to research. Make sure, you take a nap, if you have an event planned for after work.
2. Improves learning and working memory
One of the benefits of power naps is, naps improve your learning and working memory. Such memory is used in working on difficult tasks. You need to pay attention, to one thing, while holding a bunch of other things in your memory. Other benefits of napping are: it improves your memory retention. During sleep, long-term memories are solidified and stored, in the neocortex, which is a storehouse of recent memories even.
3.Prevents burnout and reverses information overload
According to research, working continuously, by putting in those extra hours without taking any nap, decreases your productivity. Taking a power nap of 30 minutes, will make you feel refreshed to get back to work.
4.Improves your senses and creativity
Napping can improve your sensory perception as effectively as a night of sleep, says research. Another advantage of napping, is it improves your creativity by, solving the web of ideas in your head, and also by joining different instincts together.
5. Improves health
Cortisol (R), also known as the stress hormone, increases its levels, due to sleep deprivation. The hormone, cortisol, helps us to deal with the fight or flight responses. Excess production of the hormone, increases glucose intolerance and abdominal fat.
Other side effects of the hormone Cortisol are, it weakens the muscles and immune systems, lowers the levels of growth hormone and testosterone in our bodies, and hinders the progress of memory and learning. All theses damaging effects can lead to other health conditions, such as diabetes and heart disease.
Sleeping, lets you release an antidote to Cortisol, which increases your immune system, reduces stress and anxiety, improves sexual functionality, and helps in muscle repair and weight loss. Benefits of power naps, gives your brain, a chance to relax, and your body a chance to heal.
6. Improves mood
Every individual has endogenous chemicals that enable neuro transmission, which are known as neurotransmitters. A neurotransmitter (R), called as Serotonin, maintains our mood, sleep, and appetites. It also produces a feeling of fulfillment and well-being. Higher levels of serotonin, is produced, when our bodies are stressed out, and as a result, the production of this neurotransmitter is blocked. This results in individuals to become anxious, overwhelmed, depressed, irritable, and easily distracted.
7. Save money
A perfect power nap, would be to take a nap and increase your energy, in a more natural and effective way. This is a much better way, than to spend money outside or taking any energy shots.
Tips For A power Nap are
The best way to take a nap, is to keep a nap shortly. Aim for a 10-30 minutes nap only; take naps in the afternoon; and create a restful environment by napping in a quiet, dark place with a comfortable room temperature. Make sure, to give yourself some time to wake up, before starting any activities, especially those activities that require a quick or a sharp response.
By Supraja
