Short Nap vs Long Nap: Shorter is better

by Nod on 12/03/2009

Are you an unsatisfied nap taker? I feel your pain and want to clue you in to one of the most important elements of nap taking I learned my senior year in college. I was a health major and wrote my senior honors thesis on the effects of nap taking on college women.  In my research study I had each subject take 2 naps per week for three weeks using Power Nap Kit. Here’s a golden nugget we all discovered from using this napping tool.

You do have time for a short nap, one lasting 10-20 minutes. A single sleep cycle takes about 90 minutes. But if you sleep for only 10-20 minutes you will wake up before you’ve entered the deep sleep phase of the cycle.  As a result, you’ll feel refreshed and your body and mind will have gained the healing and restoration of up to 4 hours of sleep!  And that’s what the research says, not me.

Earlier in my college career I had tried to take naps but always slept too long and got into the deep sleep phase of the cycle.  I woke up groggy, not feeling great and therefore gave up trying to nap and resorted to more caffeine instead. Don’t do it, just learn how to nap correctly – for 10-20 minutes -  and your body and brain will thank you.  I’ll take that over coffee any day.

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