Benefits of Taking a Nap
The Science of the Perfect Nap
According
to a growing body of research, napping is a smart thing to do. It can help
refresh the mind, make you more creative, boost your intelligence, and even
help you live a longer, healthier life. It's slowly gaining acceptance as part
of a healthy lifestyle, even in some corporate offices. Read on as I share the
science behind the need to nap, and a scientist-approved method for taking the
ideal snooze.
Why We
Need Naps
In our
modern hurried world, making time for even a short nap might seem like an
impossible luxury. Yet, for some, they may be necessary to make it through the
day at peak mental and physical performance. Our bodies crave naps for a
reason, some based on our evolution, others on our habits.
Not
getting enough sleep
The No.
1 reason many people need a nap? Not getting enough sleep at night. While there
is no magic number of hours that people need to get at night (the ideal varies
by age and other highly individual factors), the National Sleep Foundation
suggests that adults get seven to nine hours. Unfortunately, a CDC study found
that more than 40 million workers get less than six hours a night. That lack of
sleep can have consequences, and if it happens often enough your body may start
seeking out rest during the day, leaving you in dire need of a nap.
Poor
nutrition
Another
easily remedied reason for feeling sleepy throughout the day is based on
nutrition. Many people feel tired in the afternoon because of plummeting blood
sugar levels after a poorly planned lunch. This can be caused by two things:
not eating enough at lunch to supply enough energy to get through to dinner, or
by choosing foods that don't contain enough protein and fiber and far too much
of sugars and other carbohydrates. Either way, these kinds of lunches leave
most feeling tired, sluggish, and worn out well before the work day is over.
Our
bodies are programmed that way
It may
be more common for people in the U.S. to only sleep at night, but that isn't
exactly the way our bodies are necessarily designed to work. Wakefulness throughout the day is governed by
our natural biological clock, a phenomenon more commonly referred to as the
circadian rhythm. While some may not feel sleepy until evening, others
experience a small "hump" in sleepiness in the mid-afternoon that's
entirely normal and is actually programmed into the circadian schedule. As a
result, the desire to nap is simply an expression of the natural rhythms of our
bodies, regardless of whether we get enough sleep at night.
It's an
evolutionary necessity
Studies
on Napping
So now
that you know why your body is so determined to nap, it's time to learn what
benefits there are to giving into that urge. There has been a tremendous amount
of research done on the advantages of napping, and the results of just a few of
those studies are shared here.
The
benefits of napping apply even to the very young
Napping
is good for you at any age, research suggests, and may even be essential for
children who are still growing and developing. A University of Colorado Boulder study showed
that toddlers between two and a half and three who missed a single daily nap
showed more anxiety, less joy and interest, and a poorer understanding of how
to solve problems. While children build up sleep pressure more quickly (the
desire to need to sleep) due to highly active and connected brains, the same
problems can be seen in adults who don't get in a daily nap.
Sleeping
on the job is a good thing
Some
companies, Google and Apple included, are allowing employees to take naps on
the job, and science proves that that's probably a really great idea. Why? Studies
show that power naps, short 10 to 15 minute naps, improve mental efficiency and
productivity, which is a small investment in time for such a big payoff in
company morale and production.
An
afternoon nap markedly boosts the brain's learning capacity
Taking
a 90-minute nap the day of a test or presentation sounds like a ludicrous
luxury. But a recent study on the brain's ability to recall
Whether
you're heading to class or just trying to learn a new skill, making sure you're
well-rested beforehand can make a big difference, research from Berkeley suggests.
A study done at the school found that sleeping for an hour dramatically boosts
and restores brain power, in turn making it easier to learn and retain new
information. Sleep clears out our short-term memory, making room for new
information and priming us to be better, more efficient learners.
Naps are
more effective than caffeine
Thinking
of pouring yourself a giant cup of coffee? Consider a nap instead, as research
has shown that it can be a better way to wake yourself up. When researchers
compared the effectiveness of getting more sleep at night to drinking a cup of
coffee or taking a nap, the nap was the clear winner. Naps help to genuinely
refresh your body and their impact can be much more long-lasting than that of
caffeinated drinks.
Napping
can boost your memory
One of
the most universally beneficial effects of napping is its effect on memory.
Research at Harvard Medical School found that napping, especially when
accompanied by dreaming, was an effective tool for improving memory and
learning ability. Even better, you may get the benefits even if your nap is
interrupted. A 2008 study showed that the onset of sleep may trigger active
memory processes that remain effective even if sleep is limited to only a few
minutes.
Even a
short nap can have a marked effect on your health
Naps make
you more creative
Neuroscientists
at the City University of New York found that taking a nap boosts a
sophisticated type of memory that helps us see big picture ideas and be more
creative. The study used a 90-minute nap, but researchers say even short naps
(12 minutes or more) can have a positive effect on memory.
Naps can
boost performance
Whether
you're flying a plane or just typing in reports, a nap can make you better at
doing it. Research on pilots at NASA showed that a 26-minute nap in flight
(while a co-pilot was on duty) enhanced performance by 34% and overall
alertness by 54%. With those kinds of results, it's no coincidence that some of
the world's top athletes, world leaders, and brilliant minds have all been
avowed nappers.
How to
Take the Perfect Nap
If
you're ready to get into your own napping habit, here's a research-based method
for getting the most out of your time sleeping. These tips will help you
maximize the benefits of napping, and may just have you making naps a part of
your everyday schedule.
1.
Watch the time. The most beneficial naps during the day according to sleep
experts are relatively short. This is because short naps only allow individuals
to enter the first two stages of sleep. Once you enter slow wave sleep, it's
much harder to wake up and you may be left feeling groggy for hours afterwards.
Ideally, keep your naps under 20 minutes. Naps of this duration are short enough to fit
into a workday but still give the benefits of improved mood, concentration,
alertness, and motor skills. If you've got more time, a nap of 45 minutes can
also have benefits, including boosts in sensory processing and creative
thinking. If you go longer, aim for at least 90 minutes so you'll work your way
through all the stages of sleep and won't wake up disoriented.
2. Find
a quiet and dark place. Noise and light can disrupt your ability to
sleep (though if you're really tired neither may really faze you) so it's best
to limit them to get the most rest out of your nap. To limit distracting
sounds, put in earplugs or listen to white noise. To cut out light, darken a
room or employ an eyeshade.
3. Lie
down. While it might be possible to fall asleep sitting up, it'll
take significantly more time; about 50% longer. It's best to lie down so you'll
get to sleep quickly and make the most of your time.
4. Get
in the napping zone. If you want to fall asleep quickly and actually enjoy the
restful benefits of napping, you need to shut out the nagging voices in your
head that are reminding you of all the things you need to get done. Meditation
techniques are a great way to do that, researchers advise. Concentrate on your
breathing, relax your muscles, and even use visualization techniques to take
you somewhere calming.
5.
Coordinate your caffeine. If you need a little extra boost besides your
nap, you should coordinate the two. Caffeine takes about 20 to 30 minutes to
take effect, so if you drink a cup of coffee before you nap, it'll be kicking
in just as you're waking up. The practice is called a "caffeine nap"
and studies at Loughborough University showed that the combination can actually
leave individuals feeling more refreshed than just one or the other alone.
6. Plan
to nap. Ideally, you want to take a nap before you get to the point
that extreme sleepiness can become dangerous or uncomfortable. So, plan naps into
your day so you'll know one is on the horizon and you'll never be left feeling
incredibly out of it as you work, drive, or do other tasks.
7. Set
an alarm. You don't want to sleep longer than you intend, so always set
an alarm to ensure that you wake up within the time frame you set for yourself
and don't drift into sleep cycles that could leave you drowsy.
8. Cut
out the guilt. Science has shown time and time again that napping is not only
natural, it's extremely beneficial. Don't guilt yourself out of a nap by
focusing on what you need to get done or worrying what others might think.
Instead, enjoy the nap and reap the benefits of improved productivity, energy,
and mental capacity that it offers.
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