Power naps can significantly boost mood, energy, creativity, and productivity. If you often feel worn out during the day, depend on caffeine to remain focused, or sleep poorly at night, you should consider taking power naps. A power nap is a short period of rest that does not consist of stages of deep sleep. It aims to get maximum rejuvenation in the least amount of time. While everyone is different, the ideal length of a power nap is typically around 20 minutes and remains same for all.
Here is how you can power nap the right way and reap maximum benefits out of it:
1. Watch the Time
According to sleep experts, the most beneficial naps during the day are relatively short. Apparently, short naps only allow you to enter the first two stages of sleep. Once you enter slow wave sleep, it gets harder to wake up, and it might leave you feeling groggy for the next few hours. The ideal duration of a nap should be 20 minutes or under. Naps of this duration are short enough to fit into a workday but still give the benefits of concentration, improved mood, alertness, as well as motor skills.
2. Choose the Right Mattress
Mattresses consisting of a memory foam help significantly to achieve a restful and peaceful nap that refreshes the mind. Memory foam mattresses are an amazing investment for those of you who have a hectic schedule and want to nap more. You can buy memory foam mattress, which can effectively boost the quality of your sleep. Brands such as Sunday Mattress have international standards which offer the best of latex and memory foam mattresses.
3. Find a Quiet and Dark Place
To get the maximum rest out of your nap, it’s best to limit light and noise. To restrict distracting sounds, you can either put in earplugs or listen to white noise. Whereas, to cut out light, you can either darken a room or use an eyeshade. Even though it might be probable to fall asleep sitting up, it’ll take significantly more time; that is about 50 per cent longer.
4. Get in The Napping Zone
To effectively get in the napping zone, you are required to shut out the nagging voices in your head that remind you of all the chores you need to get done. According to researchers, meditation techniques are an effective way to make that possible. Concentrate on your breathing, relax your muscles, and even use visualization methods to calm yourself.
4. Coordinate Your Caffeine
If you need an extra boost apart from your nap, it’s best to coordinate your caffeine with your nap. Caffeine takes approximately 20 to 30 minutes to work, so if you drink a cup of coffee before you nap, it works wonder to achieve a restful sleep. The practice known as ‘caffeine nap’, and it can leave individuals feeling more refreshed than just one or the other alone.
5. Set an Alarm
You should always set an alarm so that you don’t sleep longer than you intend to. Always keep in mind how long you need to fall asleep. If you are aiming for a 20- minute nap, and you generally take about five minutes to fall asleep, then you can set your alarm for 25 minutes. An ideal nap offers significant benefit for improved alertness as well as performance without leaving you feeling tired or interfering with your night time sleep.
