Remember when back in school life was simpler and you had the luxury of coming home and taking an afternoon nap? Wasn't it the best time? Sigh.
So, in the wake of COVID-19 lockdowns and almost everyone around the world working from home, there is no doubt that afternoon naps are back in action. There is no denying that work still needs to get done and all of us are earnestly performing our duties. However, since we do not have to take any break time into account anymore, there are definitely people out there who are enjoying a quick siesta while taking a break from work.
This brings us to the question: Are there any benefits that come with taking afternoon naps? Let's find out!
According to a study which was published in the Journal of Applied Physiology, afternoon naps bring in about a 37 per cent reduction in coronary mortality. Apparently, it is due to the reduced cardiovascular stress which is associated with sleeping during daytime. Even though the experts are still not sure if the change came because of the nap or the fact that the body was just laying down, it has definitely reduced the chances of coronary mortality (death from heart diseases).
Experts say that a quick 10-minute nap can boost your cognitive abilities which can further boost your memory. However, they also believe that if the nap-period extends more than 30 minutes, the person can wake up feeling groggy and distorted.
In a study done by NASA for the National Sleep Foundation, it was determined that 40-minute nap can improve one's performance by 34 per cent and makes them alert. So, if you are wondering whether to take a quick nap before that online presentation, go right ahead but don't forget to set the alarm.
According to James Maas and Rebecca Robbins, co-founders of Sleep for Success, naps can "Enhance creative thinking, boost cognitive processing, improve memory recall and generally clear out the cobwebs".?
Researchers have determined that a 60-90 minutes long nap works much better than a cup of coffee. Naps are also a great idea to get some good REM sleep which is extremely important for complex learning.
So, if you have the time without getting your work effected, go ahead and take a quick nap because clearly, the benefits are quite attractive and so is the nap.