Napping is an underrated practice. Many still believe that this is a practice exclusively reserved for children, the old and the sick. However, naps have proven to be an incredibly effective tool for enhancing performance and combat the effects of sleep deprivation and daytime sleepiness. The best part, they are free and have no severe or permanent side effects!
I know that many still do not believe it, and why should they when society has taught us that working and being productive is essential to be successful, even if it means sacrificing basic needs such as sleep?
To convince nap skeptics and give regular nappers one or more reasons to maintain this practice, here are three scientific findings - of the past two decades - on the power of naps.
BENEFIT OF NAPS
1- Increase our productivity.
Taking a nap helps us perform at our best since it: 1) reduces our levels of fatigue, 2) maintains our alertness, 3) improves our cognitive and motor performance, 4) stimulates our logical reasoning and 5 ) potentiates our decision-making and problem-solving skills.
2- They put us in a good mood.
Various studies agree that naps help our mood, reducing stress levels and increasing our positive emotions. In addition, some qualitative studies have shown that those who take naps regularly perceive this practice as a positive and pleasant experience. Therefore, we could say that naps give us a better quality of life.
3- They keep us healthy.
Naps help us combat sleep deprivation and its damaging effects, as they allow us to 1) restore energy levels, 2) reduce food cravings and therefore maintain a healthy diet, and 3) reduce the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart failure.
Now that I've introduced the power of naps, some of you may wonder what the best way to structure a nap is? Therefore, I will allow myself to give you some advice:
Keep it short!
It is always recommended to take short naps, between 15 and 30 minutes. This way, we get the benefits of the nap while avoiding the temporary inertia or "drunkenness" that follows long naps (≥30 minutes).
Choose the right moment.
Ideally, naps shouldn't be taken too early in the morning, as you probably won't be tired enough to sleep. However, they should not be taken after 4 p.m. either, to avoid staying up at night. This is why most people nap after lunch, as it allows them to combat the midday slump and get an extra shot of energy to continue working during the afternoon.
Find an appropriate place.
The environment we sleep in is critical and can make a difference in the quality and efficiency of naps. Therefore, you should ideally find a quiet and dark place where you can rest comfortably.
Use accessories!… If necessary.
If you can't find an ideal place to nap, try using accessories that make it easier for you to do this, for example, earplugs, eye masks or white noise machines, among others. The possibilities are endless; you just have to find what works best for you and be creative.
SWEET DREAMS!
References
National Sleep Foundation. (n.d.). Napping [Online Article]. Retrieved from https://sleepfoundation.org
Mednick, S.C. & Ehrman, M. (2006). The nap manifesto: what naps can do for you. In Take a Nap! Change your life (pp. 23 – 27). New York, NY, USA.: Workman Publishing Company, Inc.
Mednick, S.C., Caic, D., J., Kanadya, J. & Drummond, S.P.A. (2008). Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory. Behavioural Brain Research, 193, 79–86. doi: 10.1016/j.bbr.2008.04.028
Milner, C.E. & Cote, K. (2009). Benefits of napping in healthy adults: impact of nap length, time of day, age, and experience with napping. Journal of Sleep Research, 18, 272 – 281. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00718.x
Milner, C.E. & Cote, K. (2008). A dose-response investigation of the benefits of napping in healthy young, middle-aged and older adults. Sleep and Biological Rhythms, 6, 2–15. doi:1111/j.1479-8425.2007.00328.
Tietzel, A.J. & Lack, L.C. (2001). The Short-Term Benefits of Brief and Long Naps Following Nocturnal Sleep Restriction. Sleep, 4, (3), 293 – 300.
Tietzel, A.J. & Lack, L.C. (2002). The recuperative value of brief and ultra-brief naps on alertness and cognitive performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 11, 213–218.