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Have you ever experienced the need to take an afternoon nap after lunch? This is common! In Japan, office workers are known to take daytime naps. Even big companies like Google have sleep pods for their employees to take a power nap during the working day.
The question here is: does it really work?
Let’s explore further about power nap, how to do it, and why it is good for us to take them once in a while.
What Is Power Nap?
A power nap, also known as a cat nap, is a brief period of sleep that lasts between 20 to 30 minutes [1]. It usually happens during the lighter stages of sleep, just before deep sleep [2].
Power naps are meant to help someone who is tired, feel refreshed and energized quickly. It works as an alternative to coffee and other forms of caffeine if you happen to feel sluggish in the later parts of the workday or if you find it hard to stay alert.
Health Benefits of Power Nap
Do power naps actually work?
The short answer is yes. In the short term, research shows that power naps can work to boost cognitive functioning and energy levels.
Additionally, because they are short naps, they do not go into slow-wave sleep or rem sleep stage in the sleep cycle. This prevents the risk of sleep inertia, the groggy feeling that you get when you wake up from a deep sleep [3].
Some other benefits of napping include:
- Improved alertness and performance [4]
- Higher stress resilience, especially among shift workers [5]
- Boosts our total brain volume [6]
- Reduces the effects of sleep deprivation [7]
Who Should Take Power Naps?
While there are clear health benefits to taking power naps, it should also be clear that power naps are not suitable for everyone.
If you need to recharge yourself so that you can get through the day, taking a power nap is fine. It can also be particularly useful for someone who does not get enough sleep during the night and needs to recoup from the sleep loss [8].
However, if you suffer from sleep disorders like insomnia, you want to do your best to avoid taking naps during the daytime. Taking afternoon naps could make it even harder than what it is now, for you to fall asleep.
You may also like: Difference Between a Nap and a Full Night’s Sleep
How To Take a Proper Power Nap?
When it comes to taking a proper power nap, it is important to ensure that you do not exceed 20 to 30 minutes. Otherwise, you are likely to experience a full sleep cycle.
Here are some practices that you can follow for a good napping experience:
- Set an alarm: If you are certain that it will be hard for you to get up naturally, set an alarm that will wake you up after 20 to 30 minutes. This will ensure that you do not oversleep.
- Create a calm sleep environment: Find a quiet and dark location where you will not be disturbed. Try playing some sleep sounds or use a sleep mask to help you get to bed better.
- Avoid napping too late in the day: It is best to take a nap before or after a post-lunch slump, between 12:30 pm to 2 pm.
- Try a caffeine nap: This practice involves consuming caffeine just before you take your nap. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes for the effects of caffeine to kick in. So, you are likely to wake up from a light sleep easily after a certain time.
Conclusion
All in all, power napping can be beneficial in improving alertness and performance, increasing our stress resilience, boosting our brain volume, and reducing the effects of sleep deprivation. However, it is not meant for everyone, especially those with trouble sleeping at night.
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