How a Quick Nap Can Boost Your Productivity
In our go-go-go society, napping may seem like a waste of time that could be better spent working or being productive. However, research has shown that taking a brief nap can help boost productivity and performance. Taking a nap during the day, particularly a short nap of 10 to 20 minutes, can provide several benefits related to improved productivity, alertness, memory, and more.
If you’re struggling with sleep, Dr. Simmons of Encino Center for Sleep & TMJ Disorders offers insight and treatment. Call (818) 300-0070 to set up your consultation at our Encino, CA office.
The Benefits of Napping
Naps Improve Alertness and Performance
One of the biggest and most immediate benefits of napping is improved alertness and performance. When you’re feeling drowsy or fatigued during the day, your concentration, reaction time, ability to problem solve, and overall cognitive functioning are impaired. Taking a short 10 to 20-minute power nap can restore wakefulness and get you back to feeling refreshed and alert. Studies have found improvements in alertness and performance for up to 3 hours post-nap.
So if you’re struggling to focus or feeling sluggish, a brief nap may be just what you need to get back on track.
Naps Boost Memory
Napping doesn’t just help in the moment. It also provides memory benefits that extend beyond the period of improved alertness. Research has shown that napping helps consolidate and enhance memory. During sleep, our brains go through processes that strengthen synaptic connections and consolidate information into long-term memory storage. Catching some midday shut-eye allows your brain to more firmly cement things you recently learned or experienced into your memory banks.
Stress Reduction
Taking naps is also shown to help reduce stress. During sleep, cortisol levels decrease, helping you feel more relaxed when you wake up. Napping can create a kind of relaxation reset during the day, leaving you feeling less tense and anxious. Research suggests that napping may even help reduce the risk of heart disease likely linked to these stress-reducing, cortisol-lowering benefits.
Better Overall Health
The relaxation benefits of napping are one way they support overall health. However, studies have also found links between regular napping and a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and other health issues. One reason may be that inflammation decreases during sleep. Less inflammation means reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. The memory consolidation that occurs during naps may also help prevent age-related cognitive decline and neurodegenerative diseases.
Enhanced Nightime Sleep Quality
If you struggle with insomnia or poor sleep at night, daytime napping may be able to help. Making sure you don’t nap too long or late in the day is key. However, research suggests that short midday naps can lead to increased slow-wave sleep at night. Slow-wave sleep is the deepest, most restorative part of our sleep cycle, so more of this high-quality sleep at night can make a big impact.
The Right Nap Length
To get the benefits of napping without feeling groggy afterward, the ideal nap length is 10 to 20 minutes. Very short power naps of even just 5 to 10 minutes can boost alertness, while longer naps of 30 minutes or more tend to make people feel sluggish upon waking. To wake up refreshed after your nap, set an alarm so you don’t oversleep. Then get up as soon as you wake up to avoid falling into a deeper sleep that will make you feel groggier.
Napping may seem counterproductive, but research shows it helps sharpen focus, consolidate memories, and boost alertness so you can get back to work feeling recharged.
Tired of Feeling Tired? Schedule an Appointment in Encino, CA
If you’re struggling with daytime fatigue or sleep issues that are impacting your productivity, don’t hesitate to call Dr. Simmons at the Encino Center for Sleep & TMJ Disorders today. Dr. Simmons can provide an evaluation to get to the root of your sleep troubles. He will work with you to determine if disorders like sleep apnea, insomnia, or restless leg syndrome are the culprit, and provide effective treatment plans tailored to your needs.
Get the restful sleep you need to perform at your best by calling (818) 300-0070 to schedule an appointment with Dr. Simmons at the Encino Center for Sleep & TMJ Disorders today.
