Most of the time, our average day is divided into two periods: waking and sleeping. As the quoted statistics show, 85% of mammals – humans belong to this group – sleep for short periods throughout the day. In other words, we are strangers.
Besides isolating us from most of our mammalian friends, humans are probably the only species that doesn’t get enough sleep: about 40% of us don’t get the recommended seven hours of sleep each night. During naps – short periods of rest not exceeding 90 minutes – they cannot correct our lack of sleep; Our efficiency, health, well-being and mood can certainly be improved.
healthy nap
You may not know that naps fall into three categories: urgency, routine, and preparation.
Regular naps, or the practice of taking a nap at the same time each day, are the healthiest option. A nap that should be scheduled before drowsiness (preparatory) is useful for someone who knows they will go a long time without sleep. An emergency nap – or falling asleep suddenly from exhaustion – is by no means healthy, as we’ve seen in work-related disasters.
The National Sleep Foundation (NSF) recommends taking 20-30 minute naps to increase alertness and performance. Any period of sleep lasting between 30 and 60 minutes can cause drowsiness or a feeling of dizziness after waking up. In any case, naps of 20 to 60 minutes are mostly beneficial.
Benefits of a nap
- You are happy
Science suggests that people who take midday naps of 30 minutes or less experience an afternoon “happiness boost” more often than those who take naps longer than 30 minutes or don’t take naps. nap at all.
- You can avoid clutter
Our daily cycle feels “loose” around 3 p.m. An evolving whirlwind. However, according to Harvard University, naps are an effective way to curb this stagnation. (Yes, it’s better than caffeine!)
- You make fewer mistakes
According to the US National Science Foundation, napping improves work performance, reduces errors and prevents accidents.
- You will perform better
In a NASA study, pilots and astronauts who took 40-minute naps saw significant improvements in performance and attention: 34% and 100%, respectively.
- Get a memory boost
College students, pay attention. Researchers from Saarland University in Germany found that taking a 45-60 minute nap improved their memory by 500%. Get your support!
- You are more creative
Napping is not a mindless activity. In fact, research shows that the right side of the brain – where creativity and “big thinking” occur – actively communicates with itself. (The siesta has led to many creative ideas throughout history. See: Henry Ford, Thomas Edison.)
- Your heart is healthier
According to a joint study by the Harvard School of Public Health and the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Athens (Greece), people who take naps of 30 minutes or more, at least three times a week, have a risk of death 37% less than the heart. diseases.
- You will eat less junk food
According to a study conducted by the University of California at Berkeley, lack of sleep weakens the prefrontal cortex of the brain, responsible for decision-making and the transmission of impulses. It is clear that any imbalance in the PFC cannot be used to resist temptations – including junk food.
- Feel full
When you sleep, your body produces less of the “hunger hormone” ghrelin. In contrast, another study showed a link between poor sleep habits, excessive levels of ghrelin and higher rates of obesity. Researchers suggest that regular naps may increase feelings of fullness or feelings of fullness.
- You will fight less
Have you ever seen Snicker’s “It’s Not You When You’re Hungry” commercials? They’re so confusing and funny – and they happen to be real. People with poor sleeping habits tend to argue more than those who sleep and sleep regularly.
- You reduce the risk of infection
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), people are more likely to experience an industrial or automobile disaster or medical accident if they are sleep deprived. A simple 30-minute nap can save your life.
- You are more productive
Cornell University psychologist James Maas coined the term “energy siesta” — a practice that more and more businesses are adopting. Why? Because data shows that naps improve productivity and performance.
- You Defend Against Combustion
According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), naps help counter information overload and mental fatigue. The National Institutes of Health also found a direct link between naps and improved cognitive performance.
- You help your workplace
Nike and Deloitte Consulting reward employees who add midday naps to their to-do lists. Nike, Deloitte, and others recognize that today’s employees if they work more, sleep less. “Activating” work by giving up rest and working longer “is not good for the individual or the organization,” says Michael Christian, a behavior professor at the University of North Carolina.
- You have better judgment
The frontal lobe is responsible for everything related to decision-making. Lack of sleep negatively affects impulse control, which can lead to worse decisions than if one were fully rested. A 30-60 minute nap can restore our kidneys.
