Feeling lazy?
You probably just grab a cup of
coffee or go for a walk, to stay awake. But, another thing that has been proven
a brain-booster is a power nap. A short nap can boost your memory, job
performance, lighten your mood, keep you attentive, and minimize stress.
According to a study, a 60-minute nap can keep you alert for up
to 10 hours. Different areas all over the world use different terms for a power
nap. Countries like China and Japan legally offer a particular nap period after
a mid day meal where no one is allowed to do work other than rest.
Cozy up to the five magical nap
benefits:
It
Simply Takes 20 Min
15 to 20 minutes short nap is what
you need to feel more energized as the chemicals in the brain rebalance,
leaving you mentally active. It is commonly recommended for short-term
alertness and does not even leave you feeling dopey or hindering your nighttime
sleep.
A study at NASA found that a 40-minute nap can enhance
performance by 34%. However, every individual's body works differently; some
feel more comfortable in taking 30 minutes, whereas others are more likely to
take longer naps. Make sure you are not taking it for a prolonged period as it
can make you feel groggy.
It
Recharges Your Mind
It is another natural and powerful
remedy for sleep-deprived, leaving you with many health benefits. However, it
also depends on how long you are napping and how comfortable you are with your
bedding. If it's been a while since you change your bedding accessories, you
can consider Southern
California mattress superstores to give yourself a more peaceful and
relaxing sleep.
While a 15 to 20-minute nap is ideal
for improving attention and motor skills, a 60 to 90-minute sleep may bring rapid eye movement. It further helps in
making new connections in the brain and supports improving creative skills.
It
Gives Your Skin a Rest
Taking an insufficient amount of
sleep can cause swollen eyes, under-eye dark circles, paler skin, more fine
lines, and wrinkles. So, first, make sure that you are taking 7 to 8 hours of
sleep at night.
And those who are dealing with sleep
deprivation, a short nap in the afternoon combined with the little warm-up can
not only improve bedtime sleep, but also promotes youthful skin. During sleep,
the blood flow of your skin increases, it rebuilds the skin's collagen and
repairs sun damage, which in turn reduce age spots and wrinkles.
It
is like a charger for little ones
Kids often stop taking naps long
before as they enter preschool age. You should understand that naps are crucial
for learning and overall development at that age.
Since younger kids have lesser
capabilities to store short-term memories, therefore they need frequent sleep
and short naps. Kids who nap habitually are more able to memorize things they
read or learned.
It
Helps Fight with Diseases
Sleep deprivation can lead to excess
cortisol
production in the body. It plays a vital role in our body, such as dealing with
stress responses, blood-glucose concentration, and more. But excess of it can
increase glucose intolerance, abdominal fat.
Further, it can weaken your immune
systems, learning abilities, and levels of testosterone and growth hormone in
our body. These effects can cause heart disease and diabetes.
During sleep, you release growth
hormone, which improves your immune system, which in turn lowers anxiety and
stress, and supports muscle repair and fat loss. Napping helps your body and
brain to heal and rest.
Now that you know some surprising
benefits of a quick nap start incorporating it into your daily schedule from
now and stay fit!
