I hated nap time in kindergarten. The floor was uncomfortable and I felt awkward sleeping in front of other kids. Some kids in class would be knocked out, while others would lay there quietly giggling so the teacher wouldn't hear. Now looking back, I would trade anything to be able to have nap time daily. What if I told you that many companies are giving their employees chances to take naps at work? That's a job I would want to apply for immediately. But is power napping during the day actually beneficial?
Benefits heart health.
Missing sleep, in general, is very bad for you. Sleep deprivation can out people at risk of having fatigue related car accidents, poor job performance, or puts them in a bad mood. When the body is stressed it increases the release of cortisol. High cortisol can contribute to disease-causing inflammation, therefore putting one at risk of an unhealthy heart. Taking just a quick thirty-minute nap about three times a week can prevent these heart diseases from happening.
Reduces stress and anxiety.
When people are stressed, sometimes it is difficult to sleep at night. If one naps during the day, that can make up for lack of sleep the night before. Research shows that thirty-minutes of napping can help reduce two hours of a bad night's sleep. The stress hormone noradrenaline increases when one is sleep deprived, but not when they take naps. Napping helps control the stress hormones, therefore leaving someone less overwhelmed.
Improves cognitive ability and function.
Having an afternoon power nap is proven to improve alertness and mental/physical performance. It is known that sleep benefits our learning capabilities, but studies show that naps have the same benefit. Naps that are about an hour to an hour-and-a-half long contain slow wave sleep (SWS). SWS, as well as rapid eye movement (REM) both have been found useful for mental performance.
What determines a good power nap?
The ideal amount of time is about ten minutes, enough time to be effective but not make the person feel "sluggish" afterwards. There are other factors that go into a good power nap.
The time of day: napping in the early afternoon seems to be the ideal time. However, researchers are still finding the information on the benefits of "natural naps" (sleeping when one feels tired).
How long the person has been awake: researchers say that if someone woke up early in the morning and plan on taking an afternoon nap, then a longer nap would benefit them more. If someone woke up a little later in the day and wants to take an afternoon nap, then a shorter nap would be more beneficial.
How much you nap: research shows that the more you nap, the more benefits you will have. People who are used to napping adjust to afternoon naps better, and they seem to have greater restoration and other benefits compared to those who do not nap.
Have you napped today?