We've all heard it-- napping is good for you. But have you ever really looked at the reasons why naps are so amazing for your overall health? Depending on what you are looking for, there are multiple kinds of naps that would be able to help you in any area that needs a boost, but instead of giving you a rundown on every single napping style, this quick overview of the main 4 snooze sessions is sure to help you find peace during mid-day workloads.
20-Minute Nap
These naps are labeled as the "ultimate power nap" because they can quickly make you more alert, while at the same time improving your learning and memory skills. 20-minute naps also help recharge your mind and body, reduce stress and improve your mood. Taking multiple 20-minute naps throughout the day whenever you're feeling groggy is not going to hurt you as long as you have at least a couple hours in between the naps. When you need a quick pick me up, take a short 20-minute snooze but don't hit the snooze button! These short naps are in the lightest stage of non-REM sleep, which makes waking up afterward much easier. If you hit the snooze button and sleep any longer you will wake up feeling groggier than before the nap.
30-35-Minute Nap
30-35-minute naps reign supreme when it comes to enhancing productivity. Many studies have shown that those who take these quick naps increase their cognitive functions, and one study from NASA found that this increase is roughly 40%! Although this is wonderful news for anyone struggling to get sleep at night, this type of nap is most likely to leave you feeling groggy afterward due to slowly entering deeper sleep than before.
60-75-Minute Nap
A nap that lasts anywhere between an hour and an hour and fifteen minutes will give you all of the benefits listed above, while at the same time help you improve your memory, especially with names, faces, places, and facts. On the downside, these naps also have the tendency to leave you feeling tired afterward, so prepare yourself to try to stay awake before anything major occurs.
90 Minute Nap
If none of the previous naps sound like the one for you, maybe consider a 90 minute nap. These naps help with creativity and emotional and procedural memory, making them ideal for studying for an exam because your mind will better understand the information that was handed to it before the nap. Since this napping style is considered a full cycle of sleep, waking up afterward is much easier than 30-minute or 60-minute naps, leaving you feeling awake and ready to go for the rest of the day.
Of course, naps aren't for everyone, and some peoples bodies will react differently to certain types of naps than others. The best way to figure out which napping style fits your needs best is to get used to taking naps daily if you aren't already. Maybe try shortening the 20-minute to 15 minutes, or lengthening the 30 to 35. Whatever you do, avoid hitting that snooze button for the best results, and remember to take a nap a day-- just not at work.
