‘Catch a wink’ in the blink of an eye. Short power naps are beneficial for the body as well as the mind. Find out further the benefits of napping.

Benefits Of Napping

It is a perfect cloudy day and work seems to be on a roll. You are well rested from a good night’s sleep, a perfect breakfast and have been quite busy at work all morning. Just after a decent lunch, you get back to work. After sitting for a while in front of your computer, you begin to blink furiously; trying to keep yourself awake. The urge to take a nap is irrepressibly strong. Right at that moment, your manager enters and catches you with your eyes closed. He smiles and says he understands the benefits of a power nap and leaves to it. It would be a relief for many of us, if people understood the benefits of a power nap. There are many misconceptions and stigma related to power naps. Some people think the reason to take is nap is because of heavy food or lack of sleep. Some think people who want to take a nap are lazy and inactive.  But researchers have proven time and again, that napping for short time periods during the day is beneficial.  It makes a person energetic, fresh and more productive. A nap or a power nap as it is called can vary from five minutes to thirty minutes. It is advisable to stretch and relax through breathing before and after napping to avoid sudden shock on your nervous system. A nap should not last more than forty minutes as beyond that people usually go into deep sleep. Napping should also be avoided after four in the evening as this will result in lack of sleep at night. Some of the benefits of napping are discussed further. 
 
Advantages Of Taking A Short Nap
  • One of the main benefits of napping is it helps increase alertness and productivity.
  • It also helps in reducing stress by making the body more relaxed and reduce irritability.
  • Napping helps in rejuvenating cells and helps in better functioning of the heart, cell repair and hormonal maintenance.
  • For students, people who work in shifts such as factory workers or pilots, naps help a great deal. The lack of sleep due to an irregular schedule can be compensated with a nap to gain additional alertness the next day.
  • Naps are beneficial to make up for previous night’s lack of sleep. It is important to sleep according to the amount required by your body. According to research, sleep deprivation messes the whole metabolism of the body and causes various health problems such as diabetes and hormonal imbalances.
  • Napping helps in improving learning and memory skills. Through experiments it has been discovered that naps protect brain cells from burning out due to overuse.
  • It helps in refreshing the mind and boosting creativity. Stepping away from the problem or task at hand for a few minutes through a power nap helps many people find new ideas and solutions.
  • When people are tired due to lack of sleep, they automatically are not motivated to exercise. A short nap and regular sleep will surely encourage a better motivation to maintain a regular fitness regime.

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