The brain is the main machine in the human body, once not well-rested, the operation of the main machine may become not so smooth, may also chuck. If you didn’t get a good night’s rest or had a big lunch, you can easily fall asleep at work, which can affect your memory, mood and productivity. During your lunch break, a 20-30 minute nap is all you need to feel refreshed.
Studies have shown that a 20-minute nap improves alertness more than a cup of coffee when you’re sleepy. People who want to give up coffee might want to try this new perk.
First of all, what are the benefits of napping
1. Improve your memory
People who nap 15 to 30 minutes have a better mental state, including improved memory and cognitive skills. On the other hand, people who sleep for more than 30 minutes experience dizziness, lack of concentration and irritability. So napping longer than 30 minutes won’t lift your spirits. If you work in a problem-solving, creative field, a nap could make a big difference to your day.
2. Reduce stress
Stress is inevitable at work. Prolonged exposure to stress can increase the risk of heart disease, coronary artery disease and stroke. Studies that have reported napping in the past have shown that people who regularly napped had a 37% reduction in coronary artery death compared to non-nappers. So napping can relax the body and mind, which can reduce stress and lower blood pressure.
3. Improve your alertness
Fatigue can affect alertness and performance, especially in occupations where alertness and alertness need to be improved. Naps are especially important because alertness is greatly increased when you wake up, and you don’t feel sleepy for hours, resulting in better performance.
4. Improve study performance
It is inevitable that students will feel sleepy when they are reviewing their lessons. Instead, your brain reorganizes what you learned before you went to sleep during your nap, strengthening your ability to remember and learn when you wake up. That’s why it’s so easy to memorize new words before bed.
Many people think they need a long nap to catch up on the sleep they missed. That’s wrong. The ideal nap length is 15-30 minutes.
A 10-20 minute nap, just before falling into light sleep, is usually enough to increase alertness and improve cognitive performance for up to three hours.
A 30-minute nap can improve alertness, performance and mood.
Generally, a 60-minute nap is more exhausting than a nap because of the deep sleep phase. Once you wake up before completing your 90-minute sleep cycle, you may feel groggy.
A 90-minute nap is a complete sleep cycle, and while it can boost creativity, taking too long can seriously disrupt sleep at night.
Don’t misunderstand your classmate or colleague who naps during their lunch break. They’re not lazy, they’re just increasing their productivity.