Chinese New Year is just over, and many of us are still reeling from the hectic days and late nights, and of course, the post-holiday blues. If you feel tired and unfocused, power naps will come into handy.
The concept of power naps grew in popularity recently. Napping at work is no longer the sign of a lazy skiving worker as research shows that it actually promotes productivity. It is a better alternative to caffeine because caffeine affects your memory and work perfomance negatively. But it is important to get just the right amount of sleep, otherwise you may find that isn't effective at all.
Different durations of sleep has different impacts.
10-20 minutes: Ideal at work, or even when you're driving (park the car first and turn off the engine), if you need a boost in energy and alertness.
30 minutes: A tad too long and can cause you to feel groggy and tired when you wake up. It takes about half an hour later for the positive effects of the nap to kick in. Not good if you're looking for a pick-me-up right before a meeting.
60 minutes: This helps to improve your memory for facts and faces. The downsides are inertia and grogginess as with the 30-minute nap, but if you're getting tired from studying, this could be a fruitful way to get some rest.
90 minutes: This is one full cycle of sleep (comprising the light and deep sleep stages) and helps with improving creativity, procedural memory (steps of doing things) and emotional memory. Inertia and grogginess is rarely experienced so it is easier to wake up.
But if you only have 10 - 20 minutes to spare at work, here are tips on how you can make the most out of your power nap:
- Nap in a quiet and dim environment. Invest in earphones and an eye mask to block out noise and light. Put your phone on silent mode. Make sure your colleagues don't try to rouse you. Put up a sign indicating you're having a power nap if you must.
- Have caffeine right before your nap. Caffeine takes about up to 45 minutes to be absorbed into your system and take effect. Hence when you wake up, the caffeine will help you shake off any sleepiness you have from your nap.
- Set your alarm, and get up as soo as it goes off. Follow it up with washing your face or some physical activity like a walk outside
Can't fall asleep? Try meditating, or listening to soothing music that helps induce sleep. Whatever it is, don't get anxious and disappointed, as it is still a good opportunity to relax your brain and eyes. If you do this on a regular basis, your body will eventually be conditioned into nap time and you'll be able to fall asleep more easily.
Sources:
http://www.wikihow.com/Power-Nap
http://lifehacker.com/how-long-to-nap-for-the-biggest-brain-benefits-1251546669
http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/the-secret-and-surprising-power-of-naps
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