An afternoon nap is always frowned upon. We’ve always been told that it makes you hazy, lazy and disoriented. However, research suggests that a quick mid-day nap or ‘power nap’ can make you alert, reduce stress, improve your cognitive functioning, refresh and stimulate you!

What is power napping?

Power nap is a short 20-minute period of sleep, usually during the day. These naps are said to provide energy and boost your right-brain activity.

It might have happened to you. After pondering over a problem for hours, you just close your eyes for a few minutes, and you have the solution right there – as clear as the day! So, a few minutes of Zzz’s during the day when you are really tired and unable to think, can bounce you back to work in no time!

Here’s how power napping can benefit you:

Reduces stress

Putting your head down on your desk or just curling up on the floor for a few minutes of sleep can be extremely relaxing. Experts opine that people who take short naps during the day are less stressed when compared to those who don’t. Take a break from every day stressors and find a quiet place for a nap. Even if it is just a ten-minute nap, you are sure to feel refreshed, renewed and ready to face more problems!

Improves productivity

If you get a chance to power nap while at work, make full use of it, especially if you’ve had a poor night of sleep! Trust us, you will feel completely alert and energetic after the 20-minute nap. You will notice that you are more efficient, your mood is better and you are more productive, zipping through those pile of files in no time! According to studies, instead of sleeping late into the morning, take a 20-minute nap approximately eight hours after you have woken up – this will boost your stamina leaving you fresh and energised. Initially, you may feel a bit groggy or lethargic, but once you come out of it, you will realise how beneficial that little power nap was!

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Ward off a heart attack

Taking a siesta mid-afternoon is good for your heart! Studies and researchers have found that people who did the ’40 winks’ at least three times a week had a lowered risk of developing heart-related diseases. Power nap allows you to take a break from stress, reducing pressure on your heart. In the long run, these little power naps will prove extremely beneficial in keeping your heart healthy.

Get motivated to exercise

Power naps help you stay motivated to exercise. The most common excuse among adults who do not exercise is insufficient sleep. So, a 20-minute nap in the afternoon will rejuvenate and motive you to jog rigorously in the evening! Or when you know that you can snatch that 20-minute power nap during the day will motivate you to wake up and hit the gym! Now, isn’t that amazing! So, go ahead and build your energy reserve with a cat nap!

Also view: 10 sure-shot give aways you’re not sleeping enough

Get more creative

Agreed, sleep and relaxation is important for your health. But did you know that sufficient sleep also makes you more creative? When you are faced with a problem or a mental block, taking a nap allows your brain to relax. So, if you are on the look for fresh, creative ideas and your brain won’t respond, you know what to do! And there is no reason to feel guilty because if taking that power nap is going to help your productivity, you should take it!

BDST: 1712 HRS, JAN 28, 2015