I have owned many pets throughout my life, including dogs, cats, fish, and even a tortoise. All of their daily habits are basically similar, as they all eat and sleep throughout the day, and I've grown to just ignore their schedule entirely. However, one day the thought struck me that every animal I have ever come across sleeps in small periods throughout the day and night but also seems to always be alert and ready to go. This led me to think that maybe it was the napping that allowed for such energy, regardless of the total hours of sleep seeming much less.
After a quick Google search, I found out that I was not alone in questioning human's sleeping patterns, and that the idea that many small periods of sleep increases alertness is a very common idea. This led to countless hours reading through article after article listing the pros and cons of different sleep cycles. The general consensus is: we should all be taking more naps.
So you may be asking, "What are the benefits of napping and why should I care?" Well, simply put, studies show that just a short, 26 minute nap can increase motor skills by 34 percent and alertness by a massive 54 percent. With a 30 minute nap just twice a week, risk of heart disease can be decreased by as much as 37 percent. Recent studies also show that humans are supposed to sleep in at least two, two-hour intervals per day. According to an article posted on Business Insider, many of the world's most successful people only sleep four to five hours each day.
The secret is sleeping every few hours, but in short bursts. All over the internet there are infographics outlining alternate sleeping cycles, and one particularly notable one takes napping to the extreme. "The Uberman" requires only a total of one and a half hours of sleep per 24-hour period. It involves six 20 to 30 minute naps every four hours. There are a few people who have claimed to use the cycle with varied success, as entirely changing your sleeping habits requires a lot of adjustment.
Now, it isn't necessary to take on "The Uberman" to reap the benefits of natural sleep. Simply taking a quick 20 to 30 minute nap in the afternoon will still increase alertness and critical thinking skills. Drinking a cup of coffee and then immediately taking a nap can help as well, as the caffeine will take roughly 30 minutes to kick in and by the end of nap-time, you'll be good to go! The benefits are hard to pass up, and even larger companies are starting to catch on by encouraging napping in spare time. The technology giant Google Inc. has even started using special napping pods that allow for total isolation from the office environment in order to increase productivity.
Regardless of the presence of sleeping pods or a schedule that won't allow you to try "The Uberman," making the effort to set aside time for an afternoon nap will be well worth it. The benefits are truly endless, as there are many things that we simply do not know about sleeping. Be it a four-hour snooze session or a quick 20-minute power nap at the office, a nap will surely clear your head and brighten a tired day.
