3...2...1...Nap!
In society, young children take naps, but adults are often frowned upon for sleeping during the afternoon. Those who look unfavorably at afternoon napping do not know the amazing benefits of short naps. A power nap, or a short nap between 15 and 30 minutes, is beneficial to human health and cognitive abilities.
According to the National Institute of Health, or NIH, a 30 minute power nap can prevent mental fatigue and deterioration in fine-motor skills throughout the day. The NIH used a study from Harvard University which showed that a power nap reduces irritation, frustration and poor performance in the middle of the day as tasks wore on.
Taking a power nap throughout the day can improve work performance, prevent fatigue and reduce overall stress levels as the body relaxes. According to Jennifer Soong, a writer for Web MD, the best time for a power nap during the day is between 1:00 and 3:00 pm, or in the middle of the day, for most individuals.
Working Through Negative Associations:
The most important technique to taking an effective power nap is working through the psychological negatives associated with napping. Since sleeping in the afternoon is often looked down on, you must work through the guilt of taking a nap.
If you feel guilty about taking a nap, push the guilt aside and remind yourself that napping will improve your performance. Your job performance, motor skills and thoughtfulness improve after a brief nap.
Another thought that might enter when planning a nap is that only young children. This feeling associates childishness with sleeping during the afternoon and stings your pride. When this thought enters you mind, turn to some famous adults who took afternoon naps. Look at Thomas Edison or Leonardo da Vinci as an example. Both men were among the most effective and thoughtful in history and both men were known to take a (power) nap in the afternoon.
Scheduling Your Nap:
A power nap is most effective when you take the nap at the same time every day. By scheduling your nap you form a habit and your body becomes accustomed to the time period. It is then easier to fall asleep.
Count up eight hours from the time you woke up in the morning. Dr. Michael Breus, a psychologist with a specialization in sleep disorders and a writer for Web MD, suggests that the best time to take that afternoon nap is eight hours after you woke up, but not any later than 3:30 pm. So if you wake up at 6:00 am to get ready for work, your ideal nap time is around 2:00 pm.
If you cannot work the ideal nap time into your schedule, plan your nap during your lunch break instead. For example, if you take a lunch break from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm, you might schedule your nap between 12:30 pm and 1:00 pm for a 30 minute power-nap.
Plan to take at least 15 to 20 minutes for a power nap. A nap of 30 minutes is recommended by most experts, since it might take a few minutes to sleep, but a 20 minute nap can prevent sleepiness and improve performance.
An hour long nap will further improve your cognitive abilities, but might result in grogginess upon first waking up.
Whether at work or at home: everyone loves a good nap!
Eat Something Before Napping:
As we’ve already reported on OnlineClock.net, sleep is affected by diet. Eating protein or calcium rich foods can help you fall asleep. It also helps by not feeling hungry while sleeping, which makes it harder to fall asleep.
You do not need to eat immediately before the nap, but eating something within an hour or two beforehand will prevent hunger and make it easier to fall asleep.
Take care when selecting food to avoid anything high in sugar or caffeine. Caffeine and sugar provide the body with energy and make it harder to fall asleep, especially if you eat around 30 minutes to 2 hours before taking a power nap.
Sleep in a Comfortable Location and Position:
Feeling uncomfortable prevents falling asleep and thus takes all your power nap time in adjusting your body.
When planning a power nap, determine where you can take the nap that is comfortable for you. For example, if you’re at work you might go to your car and sleep in the back seat.
Always find a location that is not noisy or inconvenient for others. For example, putting your head down on a desk might feel comfortable, but if the office is noisy it is still difficult to sleep.
Avoid dangerous or potentially dangerous locations to sleep. For those taking a long drive while traveling, pull into a rest stop and take a power nap at the rest stop rather than on the shoulder of the road. It is safer and you will not need to worry about your car being hit by other vehicles.
Adjust your body until you feel comfortable. Every individual has different positions that feel comfortable, so you’ll need to experiment. For most, lying down is the most restful way to take a nap.
How about a few carefully-selected Power Nap Accessories?
Accessories for Power Naps:
A power nap not only requires safety, quiet and scheduling, it also requires a few accessories for most people.
In general, having a blanket makes it easier to sleep. During sleep, the body naturally cools down as the body slows and is not in motion. A blanket will keep you warm enough to sleep for the entire power nap instead of waking up in the middle due to feeling cold or chilled.
The other main accessory that helps you fall asleep is something to cover your eyes. Sunglasses or an eye mask will block out any light and make it easier to sleep.
Pillows are another consideration for the power nap. Some individuals might not need a pillow, but if you feel uncomfortable without a pillow, get one specifically for daily power naps and keep it in the car.
Forming Sleeping Cues:
Most individuals follow a similar night-time routine before bed at home. This helps the body start preparing for sleep due to the cues. For example, you might brush your teeth, brush your hair, stretch or hug a teddy bear before actually falling asleep. Unfortunately, these sleep cues are not always possible before a short power nap.
Since the nap is scheduled, creating new sleep cues can make it easier to fall asleep when you are ready according to Reader’s Digest Magazine’s website. Some cues, like hugging a teddy bear, you can continue. Others, like brushing your hair, will require replacement.
Decide on a few signs to prepare for a nap each day and then start doing the same thing directly before the power nap. For example, loosen your tie, take off a suit jacket, remove your shoes and hug your teddy bear 
. Once such a sleep cue forms into a habit, it will also help your body start slowing down before your nap so you fall asleep easier.
Preventing Oversleeping:
The only way to prevent oversleeping when taking a power nap is setting an alarm. Most cell phones have an alarm available, which you set for the amount of time you plan to take a power nap. Even better: use one of OnlineClock.net’s online alarm clocks.
Always set the alarm before getting comfortable for your nap. Your mind can rest easy knowing that you’ll wake up on time. If you do not feel your alarm is loud enough, hook your computer, laptop or netbook up to a powerful set of external speakers. (Actually, many users tell us that the alarm sound on OnlineClock.net is so annoying that it’s still effective at waking them up, even when used at lower sound volumes.)
Resting Without Sleep:
A power nap is the ideal way to get optimal sleep and rest during a short period of time. Unfortunately, it is not always possible to fall asleep, especially the first few times you try power napping.
Though it is not always possible to sleep during your power nap time Reader’s Digest Magazine’s website points out that resting and relaxing for the duration of your power nap time can provide similar benefits. (So, if you can’t sleep – just chill !)
If you have trouble falling asleep, get into the same comfortable position and allow your body to rest until the alarm goes off. You might also try meditation, or clearing your mind of invading thoughts, to provide optimal rest and relaxation.
As you become more comfortable and get used to the relaxation time, falling asleep becomes easier until your power nap is part of your normal sleep cycle. Until it forms into a habit, you can still benefit from reclining and resting.
Careful - you are now entering the Power Nap zone!
Warning About Naps:
You should never take naps too late in the day because it disrupts your sleep at night.
Jennifer Soong suggests napping between 1:00 pm and 3:00 pm while Dr. Michael Breus says you should never sleep later than 3:30 pm.
If you find that power naps are keeping you awake at night, try taking the nap earlier in the day.
Avoid caffeine after the power nap.
Drinking coffee might seem to wake you up; however, coffee creates a similar problem as sleeping too late. It might keep you awake at night. This is especially true if you drink coffee or caffeine after 3:00 pm.
So there you have it, Clock Fans – OnlineClock.net‘s simple Introduction to Power Napping! We hope we’ve empowered you with enough information to get you started. Don’t forget: power napping really works, and can make you more alert and more productive…so, everyone…3…2…1…let’s all get NAPPING!
Power Napping: An Introduction is a post from: Alarm Clock Blog, the official blog of the original Online Alarm Clock.
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