One thing I’ll never quite grasp about kids is their aversion to naps. Each of my three children quit napping by the age of 18 months, and I can’t help but feel a bit judgmental about it. After all, naps are absolutely incredible.
During my days as a financial advisor, I had the luxury of an office with a door and an elegant wooden desk. Often, I’d sneak in a quick nap beneath my desk (the perks of being petite!). I’d rise from my nap to the surprise of unsuspecting colleagues passing by, and I’ll admit, it was entertaining to see their reactions.
In today’s world, especially during the ongoing pandemic, naps have become even more crucial (though my kids still don’t agree). My partner, who rises at the crack of dawn, occasionally indulges in a quick afternoon nap on the office couch. He’ll wake up, check on the kids, and then return to work, and while I tease him about it, I secretly appreciate it. It validates my own quirky sleep schedule. I’m known for staying awake late, sometimes working or scrolling through my favorite band’s social media, and then crashing for a full day of sleep.
Let’s be real — naps are the best, and we should all be taking more of them. Don’t just take my word for it; research backs up the numerous benefits of napping.
Napping Benefits
To clarify, let’s differentiate between sleep and naps. Full sleep involves cycling through all five stages, lasting 90 to 110 minutes for adults. Deep sleep makes waking up more challenging and can leave you feeling groggy. Naps, on the other hand, typically last 10 to 30 minutes, allowing you to enter the lighter stages of sleep without plunging into deep sleep. This duration is ideal for waking up refreshed. Here are some additional advantages of taking a brief power nap:
- Reduced Fatigue: It may seem obvious, but napping definitely helps alleviate sleepiness. While most adults might not need naps, a quick 10 to 20-minute session or a longer 90 to 110-minute nap can be beneficial when you’re feeling sleep deprived. Just be cautious — napping longer than 20 minutes can lead to sleep inertia, that groggy feeling upon waking.
- Improved Mood: You know how a cranky child can transform into a cheerful one after a nap? Grown-ups can experience the same effect! Naps have been linked to enhanced positivity and greater frustration tolerance, which is especially relevant during these challenging times.
- Emotion Regulation: Studies indicate that as the day progresses, people’s reactions to negative emotions intensify, but a nap can help reverse that trend while also boosting responses to positive feelings.
- Enhanced Performance: Short naps of 10 to 30 minutes can enhance psychomotor speed, reaction time, memory, and overall alertness, making you more productive.
- Memory Aid: If you’re studying or trying to absorb new information, a nap can actually help. Naps improve verbal recall, perceptual learning, item memory, and associative memory.
- Pleasurable Experience: In our fast-paced world, taking a nap can feel indulgent and irresponsible, but it’s actually a great way to enhance brain function and productivity.
When to Nap?
If you find yourself in a productivity slump or struggling to process information, consider a short nap instead of relying on that afternoon caffeine fix. You might even try a “coffee nap” — drink a cup of coffee and then take a 15 to 30-minute nap. By the time you wake up, the caffeine will be kicking in.
Here’s to embracing naps — let’s take more of them and shed the guilt in 2021. If you want to read more about related topics, check out our other blog post here. For those interested in enhancing fertility, visit this resource for fertility supplements, and for information on insemination options, check out this excellent resource.
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In summary, naps are a powerful tool for enhancing mood, performance, and overall well-being. By integrating short naps into our routines, we can improve our productivity and emotional resilience, making them an essential practice in our busy lives.