Health care – The power of “power nap”

                             The power of “power nap”

There is a good reason why the afternoon nap is said to be a "power nap", that is, a refreshing sleep. In fact, if you decide to "take a nap" in the afternoon, it could have many health benefits.

When you are sleepy, everything seems wrong and people and things get on your nerves. You can fix all this with a nap of 15 to 30 minutes.

If you feel your energy is running low in the middle of the day, do what people regularly do in Mediterranean cultures - "catch a nap".

If you don't practice that, you might want to change your mind about the benefits it brings.

Power nap boosts immunity

Insufficient long sleep impairs your hormonal and immune function by increasing the amount of otherwise useful inflammatory proteins of the cytokines and stress hormones cortisol and noradrenaline.

In 2015, one study found serious disorders in healthy volunteers who were allowed to sleep for only two hours one night.

The next day, part of the volunteers slept twice for half an hour and the rest did not nap. Tests showed that, after a nap, cytokines and hormones returned to normal in the first group. Thanks to the control of stress hormones, regular naps save your heart and brain, two major targets of anxiety.

It sharpens the focus throughout the day

Short afternoon sleep improves attention and efficiency, research has shown. A half-hour power nap eliminates drowsiness and fatigue and enhances mental abilities such as concentration, flexibility, and creativity. It is even more advisable to nap several times for 10 to 15 minutes, in which case the positive effects occur immediately after opening the eyes, while longer naps require awakening.

Raises physical endurance

A power nap has a beneficial effect on the physical endurance and performance of physical tasks.

For research purposes of a 2007 athlete survey, volunteers were instructed to run after lunch and again after an afternoon nap. Post-nap times were better, leading researchers to conclude that afternoon naps boost both mental and physical abilities.

A nap allows for better night work

Whether you work or study at night, either regularly or occasionally, a nap before night shift will help you stay fresher and work better.

Studies examining this phenomenon have indicated the effectiveness of naps between half an hour and four hours before night work begins. Such preventative naps also enhance the concentration of drivers returning home after a night shift.

Improves memory

It is well known that regular nighttime sleep helps to remember. If you have been studying during the day, you will better remember what you learned after an all-night sleep. A study published in 2010 in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory found that afternoon power nap plays an equal role.

At noon, the respondents were tasked with memorizing certain information. One group then slept for an hour and a half, while the other group was not allowed to nap. Later that afternoon, those who were napping had a better memory test.

The perfect dose for a nap? 20 minutes!

The ideal duration of an afternoon nap is 20 minutes, according to experts in this field.

This kind of nap is what most people need to get rid of drowsiness and get an injection of energy. A person who sleeps for only 20 minutes does not enter the rapid eye movement phase, a deeper phase of sleep that requires longer awakening. Thanks to this, a 20-minute dream offers extraordinary benefits because it is possible to get to work immediately afterward.

Nap and caffeine: a shock combination!

Snooze and caffeine combined work better than either alone. A 1994 study found that surgeons would stay fresh during a full day of duty if they snooze and drink coffee.

Take care of your health, take a nap in the afternoon !