Midday Snooze Can Improve Awareness and Productivity

 

Many Europeans believe in the benefits of napping so much that they shut down in the afternoon to allow everyone to take a quick power nap, recharge, and come back to work. In countries like Spain, Nigeria, Ecuador, Philippines, Greece, Italy, and Mexico, sleeping for a short period during midday is a common practice.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the case in the U.S. where a mid-day nap is not only a luxury, but often times is perceived as downright laziness.

Midday Snooze Can Improve Awareness and Productivity

If you’re among those who enjoy the occasional midday snooze, you should continue the habit as studies have shown that it’s a normal and integral part of the circadian (sleep-wake cycle) rhythm.

Good night sleep VS nap

Studies have shown that short naps can improve awareness and productivity. You don’t need much; just 15 to 20 minutes can make a world of difference.

According to a study from the University of Colorado Boulder discovered that children who didn’t take their afternoon nap didn’t display much joy and interest, had a higher level of anxiety, and lower problem solving skills compared to other children who napped regularly. The same goes for adults as well. Researchers with Berkeley found that adults who regularly take advantage of an afternoon nap have a better learning ability and improved memory function. Why is napping so essential? Because it gives your brain a reboot, where the short-term memory is cleared out and our brain becomes refreshed with new defragged space.

How long should you nap?

According to experts, for midday snooze 10 to 20 minutes is quite enough to refresh your mind and increase your energy and alertness. The sleep isn’t as deep as longer naps and you’re able to get right back at your day immediately after waking up. If you nap for 30 minutes you may deal with a 30-minute grogginess period because you wake up just as your body started entering a deeper stage of sleep. The same can be said if you sleep for an hour, but on the other hand, these 60-minute naps provide an excellent memory boost. The longest naps— lasting about 90 minutes—are recommended for those people who just don’t get enough sleep at night. Since it’s a complete sleep cycle, it can improve emotional memory and creativity.

How much sleep do particular age groups need?

According to The Better Sleep Council, babies need about 16 hours of sleep. For kids aged 3 to 12, 10 hours of shut-eye is ideal to because they’re at the stage where they grow fast. The 13 to 18 year old age group could also use 10 hours of sleep, while those from 19 to 55 can make do with 8 hours. From age 65, people get by with just 6 hours of slumber. Babies and teens need more sleep as their brains are undergoing rapid development.

After lunch naps should not be on a bed where there is a likelihood of falling into deep sleep. Instead chose a couch or soft-cushioned arm chairs. midday slump

There you have it – midday snooze is good for you physical and mental well being so you should practice them as much as you can. However, be advised that you shouldn’t sacrifice nighttime sleeping for an afternoon nap, they should be an addition to a good night sleep.

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Source:today.mims.com