We’re all too familiar with the energy nosedive that happens from 1pm to 3pm. As explained in our previous post ‘How To Avoid the Afternoon Slump’, this decline in energy can be attributed to a lot of things including chronic sleep deprivation, unhealthy eating habits, lack of exercise and the natural waning and waxing of the urge to sleep. Fortunately, this slump can be easily resolved by taking naps throughout the day. Aside from beating afternoon slump there are many other benefits to naps. Here are some of them:
It can help boost your memory
According to a study cited by HuffPost, an hour-long nap can dramatically improve your ability to retain information. The study - which was conducted by researchers from Saarland University in Germany - asked participants to remember certain words and pairs. After testing their recollection of the words, half of the participants watched a DVD while the other half napped for an hour. They were then retested and the results showed that the "nap" group performed five times as well as the DVD group.
It can help improve creativity
The stresses of everyday life can eventually trump your creativity and imagination. If you’re feeling unimaginative lately, then consider taking a long nap that will allow you to enter a deep sleep state or REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. A study lead by psychiatrist Sara Mednick found that people who took naps featuring REM sleep, in which dreams are clearer, performed better on word problems that require a certain level of creativity.
It can help you make the most of your lunch break
If your office offers a nap area and allows employees to take a quick nap, it could be a great idea to get a little respite. In Gala Bingo’s list of ways to maximize your lunch break, they explain how a 20-minute nap can help get you through the workday. Unlike your other exhausted colleagues, a quick rest will give you the chance to restore your energy and emerge with a newfound motivation to tackle your afternoon to-do list.
It can help prevent heart disease
Aside from proper diet and exercise, midday naps can also help reduce the risk of heart disease. In fact, a study of 23,000 Greek adults found that those who took daytime naps were 30 percent less likely to die of heart disease. This is probably due to the fact that napping allows individuals to slow down and deal with the stress of daily living in such an energizing and peaceful way.
It can help you pay back sleep debt
Psychologist Michelle Olaithe shared that most adults would need around seven to nine hours of sleep in a 24-hour cycle for optimum immune system and brain function. If you are one of those people who are not able to get this much sleep at night, then napping throughout the day will help you make up for lost sleep due to work or wild nights. To make the most out of your naps and avoid night-time sleep routine disruptions, aim for around ten to 30 minutes to keep yourself from reaching deep sleep.
Nowadays, a lot of people often neglect sleep and consider such a vital part of every person’s overall health and well-being as a feature of laziness. However, the listed benefits of napping prove just how important sleep is to every aspect of our lives including productivity and performance.
Author: Candice Bailey
