Drop your sandwich, put away your phones, disembark from the office water cooler, it’s time for a lunch break nap!
According to recent research, napping is the key to our life success. It improves our memory and keeps us rested and alert.
Take a lunch break nap, science says so
But it’s not as simple as hitting the ‘do not disturb’ function on your phone and snuggling into your doona. Nup, the timing of your nap will dictate how good you feel from a midday slumber.
A power nap of 10 to 30 minutes is perfect for increasing energy. If you need to be alert right after hitting the snooze button, this is the nap for you.
15 minutes before school pick up? GOT IT.
A longer nap of one to two hours is beneficial for memory recall but let’s be honest, it will likely cause drowsiness. TIP: It’s said drinking coffee BEFORE you nap, will help keep drowsiness at bay. Interesting.
Naps aren’t just for us young whippersnappers. A recent study from China has suggested that regular afternoon napping is linked to better cognitive function, memory and language skills in older adults, namely the over 70s crowd. A similar study reveals the sweet spot for nap time is a 30 to 90-minute nap.
Hold the pillow plumping, napping isn’t for everyone
If you suffer from insomnia, napping IS NOT FOR YOU. Naps decrease sleepiness, so for insomniacs, sorry folks, you need to save your sleep for night time.
What exactly does a nap do?
It has not yet been determined exactly WHY naps are so very beneficial for us. It’s possible that a simple nap refuels the brain’s energy stores as well as acts as a quick spring clean for the brain, cleaning up sleep-inducing waste products that otherwise inhibit brain activity. Goodbye brain fog!
Short naps may improve attention by letting sleepy areas of the brain recover, strengthening the brain’s networks so you wake with newfound clarity. Amazing!
How the heck does anyone have a chance to nap?
Good question. If you’re at home, you may be able to rest when or if they nap. Or chuck Cocomelon on for an hour and have your toddler gravitate towards the shining yellow light while you catch a few zzz’s.
If you’re at work,  the Hello Kitty Nap Tent is suddenly not such a stupid conception, but instead a wise investment. RIGHT? Snooze at your desk any time!
Regardless of where you rest your weary head, science tells us it’s time to add naps to the table. And who are we to argue with science?
