Power naps are a way of slowing down to speed up. It is a brief sleep that helps you get through the day, but isn’t long enough to interrupt your sleep cycle.
An ideal power nap lasts 20 to 30 minutes. It’s long enough to give you all the benefits of sleep without leaving you feeling groggy when you wake up. It is an easy way to relax and rejuvenate.
Why you should power nap
A quick power nap does more than making you feel rested. Some people think that napping is for lazy people, toddlers, or the elderly. The truth is, people of all age groups benefit from power napping. Power naps provide cognitive & emotional benefits and also enhance associative memory i.e. the ability to learn and remember the relationship between unrelated items.
Power naps help you…..
- Restore your energy
- Refresh your mind
- Regain concentration
- Enhance creativity and performance
- Reduce mistakes
Where and how you should power nap
You can power nap in your bed, on the floor, on your desk, on a chair, on park benches, literally anywhere. The ideal place to practice power napping is somewhere comfortable, but not so much that you have a hard time waking up!
Ms.C.Pavithra, Trainee Psychologist, myndwell states, “Some people find it difficult to practice power napping but following certain tips can make it easier for you…
- Make it quick – Set an alarm for 30 minutes or less so you don’t risk oversleeping. The alarm frees you from thinking about waking up on time.
- Never nap when it’s close to bedtime.
When you should power nap
There isn’t really a perfect time to take a power nap as it depends more on individual factors. But, in general, people feel low on energy 7 to 8 hours after they wake up, making it a possible time for a quick snooze.
Ms.C.Pavithra concludes, “All of us experience dips in alertness and productivity sometime during the day. Scientific studies indicate that power naps keep you more alert for the next four to six hours, boost your mood, creativity and work performance. So, with so much to gain, nothing should stop you from power napping.