According to recent research results, a solid 10-minute power nap
tends to significantly boost our mental focus and productivity.
One
major research study tested four nap time spans: 5, 10, 20 and 30
minute naps. The study included a control group that did not take a nap.
Following their nap, the researchers tested the study participants for
three hours using several alertness and performance tests.
The
results were a bit surprising. You might expect more benefits from the
longest 30-minute nap period, but that was not the case.
Here is a
brief summary of the results of the study: The 5-minute nap seemed to
produce very few benefits, and the nappers scored similar to the no-nap
control group.
The 20-minute nap produced measurable improvements
that seemed to emerge an average of 35 minutes after the nap, and to
last up to 125 minutes after napping.
The 30-minute nap was found
to produce a period of impaired alertness and performance immediately
after napping, an indication of sleep inertia. Following recovery from
sleep inertia however, measurable improvements that lasted up to 155
minutes after the nap became obvious.
The 10-minute nap, on the
other hand, produced immediate improvements in all outcome measures
(including sleep latency, subjective sleepiness, fatigue, vigor, and
cognitive performance). In this case many of these benefits were
maintained for as long as 155 minutes.
The problem many people
have is that naps can be hard to end at 10 minutes, and it's tempting to
just continue to sleep. But as this and many other studies have shown,
longer nap periods are usually far less productive. Nap for 30 minutes,
for example, and you risk sleep inertia -- the mentally groggy
disorientation that often comes after waking from a deep sleep.
Other
studies have found that timing your nap is equally important. If you
nap too late in the day you can interfere with your natural circadian
rhythm, and might not sleep well that night. The very best times to nap
are mid- to late-morning, or in the early afternoon.
Can't take a
nap at work? Interestingly some forward-looking companies are beginning
to encourage naps. Some have even installed "nap stations."
But if
your place of work has not caught up with the benefits of power naps
yet, there's an increasingly popular solution: Store a 10-minute power
nap brainwave audio on your pad or phone. During your break period just
plug in your earphones. close your eyes. Place your elbows on the desk
and support your head with the palms of your hands.
A good brain
wave audio will coax your brain into light sleep brainwaves, but will
not put you into a deep sleep. But it's always best to use an audio that
includes a brief wake up at the end.
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