The Power of the Power Nap

What do Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Eleanor Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, Winston Churchill, John D. Rockefeller all have in common? Aside from being fantastic thinkers, great leader, and amazingly efficient individuals, they were all Nappers!

According to the results of a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation, the majority of American adults (63%) do not get the recommended eight hours of sleep needed for good health, safety, and optimum performance. Practically one-third of those polled description sleeping less than seven hours each week night, with many saying they try to "catch - up" on their sleep on weekends. This arrival simply doesn't work. Getting sufficient sleep not only helps you feel rested but it allows you to restore and rejuvenate many body systems. Such as:

Health

Growth and improvement - increase hormones are released during sleep, and sleep is vital to proper corporeal and thinking development. Deep sleep also promoted healing on a cellular level.

Nervous law - Some sleep experts recommend that neurons used during the day heal themselves during sleep. When we sense sleep deprivation, neurons are unable to perform efficiently and the nervous law is impaired.

Immune law - Sleep deprivation weakens the immune system, thus manufacture the body becomes more susceptible to infection and disease.

Memory and studying - Sleep seems to compose memories, as well as help you to recover memories. After you learn something new, sleep may solidify the studying in your brain.

Mood enhancement and public behaviors - The parts of the brain that operate and public interactions, emotions and decision-making, slow down dramatically during sleep, allowing optimal performance when awake. Rem sleep seems especially foremost for a good mood during the day.

Dr Sarah Mednick, a psychologist and sleep researcher at Salk compose for Biological Studies; along with colleagues at Harvard University conducted a series of studies finding at naps in general populations. These studies proved not only that a that a nap can restore proficiency in a variety of requisite skills that we rely upon everyday, but also showed napping can yield improvements equal to those observed after a full night of sleep. In her book "Take a Nap! turn your life"; Dr. Mednick asserts "Scientists no longer argue about either napping is natural or unnatural, helpful of unhelpful. These are givens"

You don't need to be sleep deprived to enjoy the scientifically proven benefits of a good nap which include:

 Increased alertness

 Improved motor skills

 Improved memory

 Reduced errors

 Better decision making

 Increased sensory perception

 Elevated mood

 Increased creativity

 Reduced stress

 Reduced illness

Keys to the excellent nap

-Time it right! between 1 and 3p.m there is a natural dip in our circadian rhythm, our body climatic characteristic drops and energy levels normally dip. This is an ideal time for a nap. You should not nap two to three hours before bedtime.

-Avoid appealing large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, as these may impair your potential to fall asleep.

-Find a clean, quiet place where you won't be disturbed. Try to avoid light, darken the room, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates the sleep inducing hormone.

-Utilize breathing exercises and imagery to help you relax and fall asleep. Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration (see below).

-Tailor your naps to fit your needs. If you simply want to be more alert and have more energy and stamina, a 15- to 20-minute will work just fine. If you have to memorize a speech or remember data or formulas you may want to sleep a bit longer; 30 to 50 minutes will allow you to get some slow-wave sleep. Waking up right in the middle of slow wave sleep (the deepest stage of sleep) any way may leave you feeling tired and groggy. If you find this to be the case simply make your nap a puny shorter or a puny longer.

-Most importantly - Loose the guilt! recognize that you're not being lazy; napping will make you healthier, more alert, and productive.

The Power of the Power Nap