Power Napping for Overworked People

Power napping is a very simple but effective approach that has worked wonders for very busy people for several years. It is important that people start napping regularly so that they can start reaping the health benefits and start overcoming different challenges. You will find that you get a fresher mind, a stronger body and a sociable disposition by grabbing the opportunity to rest and nap just a few minutes each day. Here are some tips.

The Benefits

Power napping can lead to several benefits that will last many hours such as giving you extra alertness and making you more attentive. Snoozing can reduce stress and give you relief. You can boost your cognitive functioning by grabbing a few minutes of sleep each day. You improve your health, boost learning, become more efficient at work, gain faster reaction time and boost your body’s ability to build muscle and lose fat. You also boost your immune system and stay away from several illnesses and health problems. You can recover from disease faster by power napping.

The Power Nap

Sleep happens in five stages that occur in a cycle throughout the entire sleeping period. The power nap requires you to only go through the first two phases. The initial stage involves falling asleep as electrical brain activity, respiration and eye and jaw muscle movement start to slow down. The second phase involves going through a light and restful sleep wherein the body starts getting ready to lower its temperature and relax the muscles more. This is the stage before the person enters a deep and dreamless state called SWS or slow wave sleep. SWS happens in stage 3 or 4. REM is the fifth stage wherein the eyes begin to twitch and dreams become more intense.

About the Stages and Napping

The five phases occur again and again every 90 to 120 minutes. Stage one lasts only about 10 minutes, while stage two lasts for another 10 minutes. It is important that the person sleeps within 20 minutes so that he achieves and gets all the restorative advantages of power napping. Stage two is indicated by some electrical signals in the nervous system that will solidify the link between neurons included in muscle memory. The neurons will do the same functions as before, but with added accuracy and speed.

The Need for Sleep

Very busy workpeople should get around 15 to 20 minutes of sleep aside from their full rest period each night. This will ensure that they perform better, get added strength and improve their alertness to tackle different tasks for the day. Very busy individuals also develop toxin buildup and have more free radicals in their body, thereby requiring more means to relax and relieve stress. Other individuals only go through the first and second phases after 20 minutes, so it’s only normal that they power nap for 30 minutes or longer. Overworked individuals can regain their strength and stamina in just a few minutes. Make it a habit to power nap regularly to teach your body to restart and refresh every once in a while.