Is taking a nap part of your daily routine? This short sleep activity is also popularly known as ‘power nap.’ Whether at work, home, or during travel, we all need to take a nap. In a report which the National Sleep Foundation released, “More than 85% of mammalian species are considered polyphasic sleepers,” which means that these people sleep for short during the day.
Humans are among the minority of what the sleep experts call as monophasic sleepers, which means that each day is divided into two different periods. One period is for sleep and the other, for wakefulness. Both the young and older adults take a nap. And, it is probably one’s busy lifestyle that prevents him from napping.
What Type of Nap Do You Need?
Most people consider short sleep merely as a nap, and that’s it. What is unknown to many is that there are different types of nap. There are actually three types. Read on and see which type you usually take or need considering your day-to-day activities:
1. 15-Minute Power Nap
In this quick and short sleep, you can get a decent amount of the so-called ‘Stage II Sleep.’ This is what you need to improve your memory.
2. 30-Minute Solid Snooze
Taking a nap is ideal around 6 hours after you wake up. Half-an-hour nap means getting a lot of Stage II Sleep. Sleep experts say that a person typically reaches a deep sleep after the first 30 minutes of sleep.
3. 90-Minute Full Refresher
If you are the busy type of person, this nap type is for you because you get to experience a complete sleep cycle. Studies have it that a nap for 90 minutes can offer a lot of benefits as if you are getting a full night’s rest.
So, Why Should You Take a Nap Throughout the Day?
We all need a break. When you’re expecting a long day ahead at work, a short nap surely helps. Sleep experts say there napping during the day brings a lot of health benefits. Below are the impacts you never imagined you’d have on your body.
- Better memory. It is common knowledge that naps are advantageous in the recall process. They also help individuals retain information all the more. If you need to study longer, say, for another hour, take a break and have a nap instead of pushing yourself to learn more continuously.
- Lesser mental burnout. This is among the easiest ways of reducing, to totally prevent mental burnout. Nap improves and helps achieve mental clarity so you can concentrate on what is essential.
- Less stress. Free your mind from anything that causes stress through a 30-minute sleep.
- Constantly good mood. A nap of 20-30 minutes guarantees to boost your mood. It also helps lessen the risk of depression.
- Improved alertness. According to studies, naps help reverse the impact of having a poor sleep at night. Meaning, if you have insufficient or inadequate sleep, you can’t stay alert and focused like you should be.
- Enhanced creativity. You certainly need a clear mind to be creative. To achieve this, you need to nap. The Wall Street Journal reports, a person who wants to nap to help him become more creative, actually requires a longer nap, say, a 90-minute sleep.
- Less anxiety. A short sleep, be it an afternoon nap or a mid-afternoon sleep helps regulate the levels of spiking hormone that usually worsens anxiety. Therefore, if you are feeling down consider taking a nap.
Takeaway
Indeed, there are lots of benefits of napping, including reduction of risk for illnesses like heart disease, for one. Therefore, if you are feeling sleepy, drop whatever you’re doing and take even just the shortest 15-minute nap. This short sleep can go all the way and bring you to a better condition. You’ll be more mentally alert, focused and most of all, productive with whatever your activities for the day.
