The clock just struck 2 p.m. and your eyelids start to droop, feeling heavy as bricks. You force them open, willing the sunlight outside to power them to stay alert, but the urge to close seems to be winning the struggle. You realize you’ve been sitting for several unproductive minutes, foggy-headed, unable to focus. Thinking about all the things you still need to accomplish, you know you need to do something to find your energy. Should you head to the kitchen for some caffeine? No, you should take a power nap. And here’s why.
A Nap Will Give You a Boost in Energy. Just as your computer or phone may need a reboot when it starts going haywire, your body benefits from a reboot, too. Sara C. Mednick, PhD, sleep expert and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life says "You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping. You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That's what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost."
A Nap Will Amplify Your Mood. What do you do when a child starts acting out or becomes moody? You put them down for a nap. It turns out that adults can experience the same benefit, too, with a short nap. Studies show a decrease in fear, anger and sadness and an increase in happiness when a nap is taken.
A Nap Helps You Find Your Creativity. If your day requires you to be creative and your body feels less than inspired, you may need to set aside a chunk of time for a longer nap. Though most power naps give your body the restoration it needs in 15-30 minutes, getting in a nap closer to 60 minutes allows your body to enter REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, which helps your brainpower get a boost, resulting in more focus and creativity.
A Nap Can Improve Your Memory. If your mind is foggy and remembering details is difficult, a nap may help. With a little midday shut-eye, you’ll find your mind restored and your ability to recall facts from earlier in the day a bit easier.
A Nap Helps Lower Your Blood Pressure. Naps can be beneficial to your health. A study conducted by the Asklepieion General Hospital in Voula, Greece found that people who took a daytime nap saw a 5.3 mm Hg drop in systolic blood pressure, about as much as someone could expect when taking blood pressure medication or making lifestyle changes to lower blood pressure. Cardiologist Dr. Manolis Kallistrato also found less damage from high blood pressure in their arteries and heart.
A Nap Can Lower Your Stress. Under a lot of pressure, or feeling stressed? Napping may help. According to a study published in the Endocrine Society's Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism (JCEM), a short nap can help relieve stress and bolster your immune system. "Our data suggests a 30-minute nap can reverse the hormonal impact of a night of poor sleep," said Brice Faraut, PhD, of the Université Paris Descartes-Sorbonne Paris Cité in Paris, France. The study showed sleep-deprived participants having a higher norepinephrine level, a hormone and neurotransmitter involved in the body's fight-or-flight response to stress. But when participants were allowed to nap after a night of limited sleep, researchers found no change in norepinephrine levels.
A Nap Can Heal Cell Damage. Lack of sleep can actually damage cells, especially in the liver, lung and small intestine, but research has found that recovery sleep, such as in napping, can heal the damage.
Nope, naps aren’t just for kids. So, before you reach for a caffeinated beverage, a tool that might give you a more wired feeling but leave you prone to mistakes, instead find a quiet, warm place to lie down, lower the lights, and set an alarm. Just 20-30 minutes might be the solution you need to incorporate into your daily routine to keep you energized, productive, and performing your best.
Now, if you’ll excuse us, our mid-afternoon slumber awaits. See you in 20.
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