We all know that the best way to finish all your daily tasks is through time management. But sometimes, with all the office work or school work that needs to be finished, followed by house chores that need to be attended, a normal 8-12 hour schedule just won’t fit! Often time we sacrifice our sleep just to finish what needs to be done, and the morning after effect ain’t that good either.
Source: Business Advice
You would end up going to work groggy and won’t be able to perform your best. You try to do your best at your presentation (the one you worked your brains-out on, last night), so you take coffee to shrug off all the yawning. Unfortunately, because of all the grogginess, you spill the hot coffee on your pants. But hey, at least you woke up. Right?
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Wrong. Studies show that the right way to combat fatigue and stay on top of things at work and at home, is through taking naps! Napping is a smart solution. It can help refresh the mind, make you think clearer, increase alertness, decrease stress, boost you intelligence, and help you live a longer, healthier life.
Many Sleep experts say that a 10 to 20 minute power nap gives the best “boost”, but depending on what you want the nap to do for you, other durations may be better.
10-20 mins
This power nap is the best if you want to wake up refreshed and boosted with energy. With this length, you are usually limited to the lighter stages of Non-rapid Eye Movement (NREM) sleep. This makes it easier to get up and go on with work after waking up.
30 mins
There are studies that show that sleeping this long can cause sleep inertia, a short hangover-like groggy feeling that lasts for 30 mins before the nap’s benefits kick in.
60 mins
If you’re focusing on remembering facts, faces and names, this nap length might be the best for you. This nap involves slow-wave sleep, the deepest type. Unfortunately, you’ll experience some grogginess after waking up.
90 mins
The full sleep cycle, this includes the lighter and deeper stages, including REM (Rapid Eye Movement) sleep. This leads to improved emotional and procedural memory, and creativity. Thankfully, this nap doesn’t cause sleep inertia, so waking up would be easier.
So remember, whenever your schedule is too tight for anything, don’t forget to take a quick snooze.
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