Get the Best Nap to Boost Your Day
Don’t waste time fighting the urge to sleep
Sometimes fatigue sets in — even when you are eating right, sleeping well, and exercising regularly. A nap is a simple solution to regain your energy.
Naps are challenging, though. If done incorrectly, it may leave you feeling worse. So, what is the secret to a good nap?
To begin, you must understand the sleep cycle to decide on the best type of nap for your needs.
Sleep Cycle
A sleep cycle has four stages. You need to know them, so you do not wake up in the wrong one resulting in a groggy mind.
Stage 1
During Stage 1, we doze off. It is the initial state when your eyelids start to get heavy. It lasts 1 to 5 minutes.
Stage 2
During Stage 2, we enter a relaxed state — our temperature drops, muscles relax, breathing and heart rate slows, and brain activity decreases. This stage lasts 10 to 25 minutes.
Stage 3 — Danger Zone!
During Stage 3, we enter deep sleep. The body reaches a deeper state of relaxation. This stage lasts 20 to 40 minutes.
Stage 4
During Stage 4, we reach a state of REM (Rapid Eye Movement). Brain activity increases, reaching levels during wakefulness. Dreams are most common during this stage. This stage may range from 10 to 60 minutes.
Build a time buffer around the danger zone. By making it from 30 to 90 minutes into a nap, you avoid waking up during stage 3. Waking up in this state may result in that “ugh” feeling for 30 minutes or more.
What is the best length for a nap?
So, this depends on your available time. Your main goal is to avoid the danger zone. If you have little time, stay below 30 minutes. If you have the time and want to reach the benefits of REM sleep, go between 90 to 120 minutes.
How to avoid the danger zone?
There are different approaches:
1) The caffeine nap — Drink a cup of coffee before falling asleep. It takes about 25 minutes for the caffeine to work itself into your system — just in time to stay out of the danger zone.
2) The key drop nap — Your boss may not believe in naps. Oh, to be in pre-school again. To sneak in a quick snooze, hold a set of keys in your hand. When you drop them, it is time to get up. This method will ensure a short nap but still provides some of the restorative gains of sleep.
3) The alarm nap — If you have the time for a longer nap, go ahead and set an alarm between 90 to 120 minutes.
When should you nap?
The best time to nap is when you need a quick pick-me-up. For most people, this need occurs in the afternoon. The body experiences a natural slump due to our circadian rhythms dropping.
Famous Nappers
Don’t feel ashamed if you are a napper. Many famous people swore by them. Here are a few:
- John F. Kennedy believed in naps. His wife, Jackie, advised Lyndon B. Johnson to get some brief shuteye during the day since it helped her husband.
- Bill Clinton said:
“On the days when I’m a little short of sleep, I try to work it out so that I can sneak off and just lie down for 15 minutes, a half an hour, and it really makes all the difference in the world.”
- Winston Churchill believed:
“Nature has not intended mankind to work from eight in the morning until midnight without that refreshment of blessed oblivion which, even if it only lasts twenty minutes, is sufficient to renew all the vital forces…”
Closing Thoughts
Naps are tricky but valuable when done correctly. Always frame a quick snooze as a power nap. This label will remind you to get maximum benefits by avoiding the danger zone.
You may also enjoy:
