There are many places on our planet (towns and certain areas) that shut down completely intentionally in order to help residents get adequate nap and reboot. As we all know, the United States is not one of these countries and people in America usually avoid napping.
But, it turns out that naps are not a waste of time – they are good for you. This means that in case you have time for napping – use that time for this “activity”. Studies have shown that napping is a normal and ordinary part of the sleep-wake (also known as circadian) rhythm.
As you are probably aware, the concentration, energy and focus levels are different throughout the day and these changes are not related to your night’s sleep. So, in case you want to reboot, a quick nap can definitely help you.
There are many companies, even famous companies like Google and Apple who let their employees take a nap while they are at work. There are several scientific studies that have confirmed the positive effects of napping like improved performance and productivity.
In addition, a scientific study performed at the University of Colorado (Boulder), discovered that kids who avoided napping time have more chances to experience a lack of happiness and interest and witness health issues like low problem-solving skills and anxiety.
The same goes for adults. Berkeley scientists have found that adult individuals who are following a napping routine usually have better memory and learning skills. So, napping has a positive impact on the human brain and helps the brain refresh and reenergize.
Nap Length
According to experts, a good nap is between 10 and 20 minutes long. This is the amount of time that the brain needs to feel regenerated and to enhance its performance during the day. So, naps are meant to be lighter and shorter compared to sleep. If you spend more than 20 minutes on napping you will probably feel groggy and blurry when you wake up.
For example, in case you sleep for an hour, your body will start falling into ordinary sleep so in case you break the cycle you will feel even more tired when you wake up.
But, if you are not able to sleep well at night, you can take a longer nap – between 60 and 90 minutes long.
Remember that the sleeping process has a positive impact on our body and allows the brain to enhance its creativity and reasoning. It is highly recommended to nap whenever you can, but no longer than 20 minutes. If you sleep more, you will ruin your ordinary night sleep which will cause more harm than good to you.
Source: Natural Society
