The nap is usually part of the habits of people who come from hot countries, so it is not an exercise common to some Western countries such as the United States or Canada. When certain regions of the world deliberately leave time for their employees to take a nap, in others, it can be perceived as lazy. Still, taking the time to rest during the day can have considerable benefits. Know that the nap increases alertness, accelerates motor performance, improves perception and can even help you lose weight!
The nap, considered a regular, normal and integral part of the circadian rhythm (sleep-wake cycle) can actually be beneficial for you. Indeed, the concentration and energy levels are not the same throughout the day and this, regardless of the quality or duration of your sleep at night. So if you feel tired, a drop in energy, a blow of slack, do not have the reflex to run to the coffee machine and go instead take a nap. Ten to twenty minutes will be enough to work miracles!
Moreover, many multinationals like Apple, Samsung or Google have understood the benefits of this "break" daily. Their premises are arranged accordingly, to allow their employees to take a nap and rest before continuing their work. These companies have understood everything because many studies go in this direction, and indicate that the nap can strengthen the attention, productivity and performance of people.
A study conducted by the University of Colorado at Boulder found that children who skipped their nap time were at greater risk of suffering from a lack of joy and energy and health problems such as anxiety. This is also true for adults. Researchers have found that adults who regularly take a nap strengthen the functions of their memory and their learning abilities. Sleeping during the day therefore positively affects the brain and allows it to restart well afterwards. Because napping increases cognitive and psychomotor performance, allows you to have better memory and can even help you lose weight. Indeed, lack of sleep tends to disrupt our hormonal production and it is therefore more difficult to control our appetite.
How long should a nap last?
You should know that a nap of 20 minutes and another of 90 minutes do not have the same effects on our body. Experts say that a good nap should last 10 to 20 minutes, after which the brain regenerates and its functions improve significantly. So avoid prolonging your nap for more than 20 minutes, a nap of 30 minutes could cause sleep inertia and therefore a feeling of "hangover" on waking.
The same goes for a one hour sleep, it plunges you into a phase of deep sleep, and if you give in, it can cause a feeling of vertigo upon waking and you will feel more tired than before.
Nevertheless, the longest naps last about 90 minutes and are intended for people who have not slept enough all night long. It is a complete sleep cycle that includes the lightest and deepest stages, including REM sleep, usually associated with the stage of dreams. A nap this long usually avoids the inertia of sleep, which facilitates the awakening.
The sleep process therefore positively affects the body and allows it to improve its creativity and thinking ability. So, sate as much as possible but be careful not to disturb your regular sleep.
