Perfecting Power Nap

Researchers have found in recent years that the human body requires only as much sleep
as the brain will allow it.
In other words, so long as the brain is functioning at full capacity, theres no great
requirement for sleep. The big thing is that the brain needs a rest every now and then, and
apparently, the brain can refresh itself and go on like with a full tank of gas with just a
short, 20-minute power nap.
These short 20-minute power naps for people who are really engrossed in their work,
almost always provide a fresh burst of new ideas and energy. They tend to eliminate the
need for caffeine boosts during the workday. And, they guarantee a reserve of energy so
that the working day isnt followed by an evening in which he falls asleep on the couch
watching TV or at a social event.
1). Less stress
Curling up in a sunny patch on the floor or even lying your head down on your desk for a
quick snooze brings relaxation. Research found that stress hormone levels were lower in
those who took stress-reducing actions such as napping. Take a break each day from the
stresses and reduce your risks, find a quiet, comfortable spot and take a nap. Even a short
power nap can leave you feeling refreshed, renewed, and more focused.
2). Increased alertness and productivity
If you have the opportunity for a power nap, particularly after a poor night of sleep, by all
means, take one. You will feel more alert and energetic afterwards, and once rested after
your mid-afternoon nap, your mood, efficiency, and alertness level will improve greatly.
Scientists have even proven that taking a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after
you have awaken will do more for your stamina than sleeping another 20 minutes in the
morning. Of course when you first come out of your afternoon nap, you will feel a bit
groggy for around ten minutes, but once your decline in motor dexterity dissipates, you
will reap the rewards of being well rested and ready to go for the rest of the day.
3). Improved memory and learning
Naps arent just for the very young, old, and sluggish. Daytime dozing may enhance a
persons capacity to learn certain tasks. That, at least, is the eye-opening implication of a
new study in which college students were challenged to detect subtle changes in an image
during four different test sessions on the same day.
Participants improved on the task throughout the first session. The students speed and
accuracy then leveled off during the second session. The scores of the participants who
didnt nap declined throughout the final two sessions. In contrast, volunteers who took a
20-minute power nap after completing the second practice session showed no ensuing

performance dips. Whats more, 1-hour power nappers responded progressively faster
and more accurately in the third and fourth sessions. It looks like napping may protect
brain circuits from overuse until those neurons can consolidate whats been learned about
a procedure.
4). Good for the heart
Taking 40 winks in the middle of the day may reduce the risk of death from heart disease,
particularly in young healthy men, say researchers. They studied 23,681 individuals
living in Greece who had no history of coronary heart disease, stroke or cancer when they
first volunteered, and found that those who took a 30-minute siesta at least three times a
week had a 37% lower risk of heart-related death. The researchers took into account ill
health, age, and whether people were physically active. So go ahead and nap a short
daily snooze might ward off a heart attack later in life. It is known that countries where
siestas are common tend to have lower levels of heart disease.
5). Increased cognitive functioning
In a recent study, researchers at NASA showed that a 30-minute power nap increased
cognitive faculties by approximately 40 percent! Tests carried out on one thousand
volunteers proved that those who continued working without rest, made lower scores in
intelligence tests like the IQ test. More importantly, their capacities to work and
memorize decreased in comparison to those who napped after lunch.
In concordance with NASAs work, biology students at Berkeley determined that the nap
must be short in order to produce maximum effectiveness. Over forty five minutes, the
beneficial effects of napping disappear and it is therefore suggested to take a fifteen to
thirty five minute power nap. This is the time necessary for the organism to rest and
enables brain neurons to recuperate.
6). Get motivated to exercise
Sufficient sleep and naps help motivate exercise. Some 28 percent of adolescents say they
are too tired to exercise, due to sleep. As adults, lets not let tiredness ruin our jogs.
Youre guaranteed to run longer, faster, more efficiently and mindfully when your body
has its required amount of zzzzs. So, store-up, shore-up and build-up your energy
reserve with a power nap. Its easy (free!) and proven effective.
7). Boost your creativity
Rest and relaxation isnt only vital to your health it might also make you a more
creative person. People tend to be more imaginative after a good nights sleep. Other
experts agree that taking a nap or stepping away from a problem or project refreshes the
mind and could lead to better ideas later. Power napping allows your brain to create the
loose associations necessary for creative insight and opens the way for a fresh burst of
new ideas. So if you feel stuck, then you might want to take a nap. Return to the problem
after diverting your attention for a while. The best part is that theres no need to feel

guilty, because taking some me time, in this case, could help your business in the long
run.
8). Make up for midnight tossing and turning
Some of the most recent research suggests that a bad nights sleep can stress the body as
well as the mind. One such study, suggests that missing sleep throws the bodys
metabolism off kilter. Scientists at the University of Chicago studied physical changes in
11 young men who slept four hours per night for six nights in a row. They found that
sleep deprivation seemed to trigger a diabetes-like condition, harmed hormone
production, and interfered with the ability to use carbohydrates.
According to some studies, power napping is clearly beneficial to someone who is a
normal sleeper but who is getting insufficient sleep at night. Researchers still dont
understand the underlying neurobiology, but it looks like sleep time is cumulative. They
compared the alertness of people who slept eight hours a night to that of people who slept
less but took a nap during the day. Both groups were equivalent.
9). Protect yourself from sleepiness
Scientists had also found benefits in the prophylactic nap for people who have to stay
up late. It can protect you from sleepiness. If you have to be up all night, a two-hour or a
four-hour nap does provide additional alertness the next day. Research conducted by
NASA produced similar results. Naps are clearly useful for some people, including shift
workers, students, and anyone doing long-haul work, such as pilots on transcontinental
runs.
10). Better health
Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair,
says Dr. Sara Mednick who is at the forefront of napping research. A power nap, says
Mednick, simply maximizes these benefits by getting the sleeper into and out of
rejuvenating sleep as fast as possible.
1). The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that youre not being lazy;
napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.
2). Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late
afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you
groggy.
3). Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and
sugar, which meddle with a persons ability to fall asleep.
4). Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and
protein, which promote sleep.
5). Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones wont disturb you.

6). Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the
sleep- inducing hormone.
7). Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room
temperature or use a blanket.
8). Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired
duration (see below).
THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds. Sleep studies havent yet concluded whether there
are benefits to these brief intervals, like when you nod off on someones shoulder on the
train.
THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes. Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding
sleepiness.
THE MINI-NAP : five to 20 minutes. Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and
motor performance.
THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutes. Includes the benefits of the micro and the
mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up
information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and
names).
THE LAZY MANS NAP: 50 to 90 minutes. Includes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good
for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth
hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles.
Contrary to popular opinion, napping isnt for the lazy or depressed. Famous nappers
have included Bill Clinton, Lance Armstrong, Leonardo da Vinci and Thomas Edison.
The moral of the story: to be ultra-productive, just rest your head. You snooze, you gain.
Give it a try for yourself and see if you arent amazed at the results.