Do you often feel drained and lacking in motivation after your lunch break and a sumptuous lunch? Maybe a little power nap could be the solution for you! In today’s article we will explain what a power nap is and how to use it correctly.
Power nap – what is that actually?
As children, many of us never wanted to take a nap, now as adults we long for a short break from everyday life: a power nap is basically a short nap that takes place outside of the main sleep phase (which is usually at night). The aim of the power nap is to increase performance, increase motivation and improve mood. A study by the Heinrich Heine University in Düsseldorf shows that this is only possible with a little nap . By the way, a nap after lunch has also been shown to reduce the risk of cardiovascular problems to fall ill by as much as 37 percent, according to scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School.
In addition, a short power nap can effectively reduce stress and thus also contribute to long-term health maintenance.
Power nap & headache – how can it happen?
Despite the many positive effects of a short nap during the lunch break, many complain of headaches and discomfort afterwards – this can have various reasons:
Snoring
This causes abnormal breathing – the required oxygen cannot be completely transported to the blood, which in turn causes an uncomfortable feeling after waking up. Snoring is also considered a risk factor for chronic headaches .
Teeth grinding (bruxism)
This causes the muscles in your head to tighten more than they should – does that sound painful? It is, and unhealthy at that. If you grind your teeth while you sleep, it’s best to talk to your doctor about it.
Sleep Duration
Maybe you sleep too long or too short? Avoid interrupting your sleep pattern.
Power Nap – the perfect guide?
So that you don’t have to suffer from headaches and discomfort after your afternoon nap, we have the perfect instructions for you here – so you can get through the second half of the day fit and well rested:
How long should you take a power nap?
The perfect duration of a power nap is between ten and thirty minutes. Here the body does not yet switch to the deep sleep phase, but can recharge its batteries for the afternoon. Anyone who sleeps longer runs the risk of not being more rested after the nap, but even more tired than before. To avoid this, you should definitely set an alarm clock that will wake you up gently after a maximum of 30 minutes.
When should you take a power nap?
In general, a daily nap can do no harm. The only thing you should be careful about is that you don’t take the nap too close to your actual bedtime. This can prevent you from falling asleep in the evening and thus increase the lack of motivation because you get too little sleep overall. A power nap between noon and 2 p.m. is ideal.
Where should you take a power nap?
It is not always necessary to have an extra relaxation room in the office: even a comfortable office chair that can be adjusted can contribute to a pleasant power nap position. Make sure that – as far as possible – you are not disturbed during this time: Put the PC in energy-saving mode, put the phone on silent and activate flight mode on the smartphone. You should also close doors and windows so that you are not prevented from sleeping by background noise.
Extra tip for your perfect power nap
Don’t click away because you’re thinking “That can’t work at all!” – but yes: You should drink a small cup of coffee, tea or even an espresso before your nap. If you think that you can’t fall asleep from the caffeinated drinks after all, you’re wrong: the caffeine only develops its stimulating effect after about 20 minutes, so you can sleep well after the power nap and start the afternoon full of energy.
Power nap – these nations are leading the way
The Japanese are the perfect pioneers when it comes to power napping – they have been celebrating naps for years. In Japan, if you are a tired employee, you are also a hard-working employee! Which is why no Japanese is ashamed to close their eyes for a moment during working hours. Some (possibly less hard-working colleagues) even pretend to take a power nap so as not to be labeled as lazy by their colleagues.
The Americans are also increasingly establishing their power nap in corporate cultures. Here, extra retreat rooms are set up in the office for the employees, as is the case at Google, for example. In this way, performance can be increased very easily in ten to 30 minutes and no colleague has to expose himself to slanting looks when he closes his eyes for a moment.
In the more southern regions such as Spain or Italy, the “siesta” has also been part of the culture for centuries.
Conclusion: A power nap a day keeps the doctor away
As numerous studies have shown, regular power naps not only make you more efficient and motivated, you also contribute to your health. Sounds good? Then we wish you a pleasant power nap in the office and hope that in the future you will no longer have to expose yourself to obscure looks when you take a short nap in the office.