The Power of Napping

Power Napping for Increased Productivity, Stress Relief & Health

Naps Are Exercise for the Brain Research shows that you can make yourself more alert, reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a power nap, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health.

Certain cultures use the siesta very successfully. However, siesta cultures are relatively consistent in napping.  In most western cultures, napping is not consistent day after day. If you want to nap, nap at the same time each day and for the same duration, particularly if you are prone to insomnia.

Many people complain about Sunday-night insomnia.  For instance, when the person is napped on Sunday from about 2 to 5 in the afternoon then he/she could not get to sleep at the usual time on a Sunday night. Therefore, it is critical to maintain a consistent schedule; this is the best strategy.

With respect to occasional napping, one important advantage is that even a 30 - 60 minute nap greatly helps a person counter sleep loss.  Studies have shown that the first hour or so of sleep is the most important in relieving the effects of missing a night's sleep. 

The Benefit of a Power Nap:
Studies show that 20 minutes of sleep in the afternoon provides more rest than 20 minutes of sleep in the morning (though the last 2 hours of morning sleep have special benefits of their own). The body seems to be designed for this, as most peoples bodies naturally become more tired in the afternoon, about 8 hours after we wake up.

Older adults and Napping:
Lack of sleep can lead to a number of problems in older adults, including depressed mood, attention and memory problems, excessive daytime sleepiness, more nighttime falls, and increased use of sleep medications.  Research has also linked lack of sleep with increased risk of serious health problems such as obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

Older adults need to nap because of their health problems and disrupted sleep at night.  Thus, the napping may reflect needed sleep.  Not sleeping well can lead to a number of problems. In addition, recent studies associate lack of sleep with serious health problems such as an increased risk of obesity, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.

How Long Should I Sleep?
When you sleep you pass through different stages of sleep, known together as a sleep cycle. These stages include light sleep, deep sleep (this is believed to be the stage in which the body repairs itself), and rapid-eye movement sleep also know as REM sleep (during which the mind is repaired). 

Many experts recommend that the nap taken in the afternoon is between 15 and 30 minutes.  Sleeping longer gets you into deeper stages of sleep, from which its more difficult to awaken.  Also, longer naps can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night, especially if your sleep deficit is relatively small.  However, research has shown that an hour of nap has many more restorative effects than a 30-minute nap, including a much greater improvement in cognitive functioning.  

The key to taking a longer nap is to get a sense of how long your sleep cycles are, and try to awaken at the end of a sleep cycle.  Its actually more the interruption of the sleep cycle that makes you weak and unsteady, rather than the deeper states of sleep. 
As there are pros and cons to each length of sleep, you may want to let your schedule decide.  Whether it is 15 minutes or an hour to nap, this will complete a whole sleep cycle, even if it means less sleep at night.  If you only have 5 minutes to spare, just close your eyes; even a brief rest has the benefit of reducing stress and helping you relax a little.  This can give you more energy to complete the tasks of your day. 


Login form

Private Messages


Click Here to Visit our FaceBook Page

Click Here


Click Here to Visit our Twitter Page

Click Here


Click Here to Visit our Yelp Page

Click Here