\u201cThere are many benefits to napping,<\/em>\u201d he explains in his program on Mindvalley, The Mastery of Sleep<\/em> Quest. \u201cTo get all the potential benefits and avoid the pitfalls, naps need to be used correctly.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a cute little quote provided by the internet: \u201cWhen life knocks you down, just stay there and take a nap.<\/em>\u201d And with all the benefits of a power nap, imagine the powerhouse you\u2019d be when you wake up from that slumber.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re unfamiliar with the concept, a power nap is sleeping for a short time during the day. \u201cSiesta,\u201d \u201ccatnap,\u201d \u201cforty winks,\u201d \u201ca doze,\u201d or \u201ca horizontal life pause\u201d \u2014 call it what you want, but there\u2019s no arguing that taking a power nap can help you recharge. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, it does leave one wondering what the difference between a power nap and a good ol\u2019 regular one is. Is a power nap just a nap, but with\u2026power? As it turns out, there\u2019s more to it than meets the eye.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While a regular nap has advantages, it may be too long for your schedule, and life doesn\u2019t always grant you that kind of time. That\u2019s when a power nap comes in handy \u2014 it\u2019s quick and does the job, much like a shot of espresso.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While a regular nap lasts somewhere between 30 to 90 minutes, a power nap is much shorter than that: between 10 to 30 minutes. Some experts, however, have concluded 20 minutes is just right, but all agree that it shouldn\u2019t exceed the 30-minute mark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a reason for this, of course. But before diving into that, it helps to get the gist of the stages of sleep<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One sleep cycle lasts around 90 minutes on average. So that means we go through about four to six sleep cycles per night for the recommended daily six to nine hours of sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What does that mean for napping? For regular naps, if it\u2019s 90 minutes, you\u2019ll go through one full sleep cycle. And according to a study<\/a> published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society<\/em>, anything exceeding that can create problems with cognition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For power naps, on the other hand, the 30-minute mark will get you into NREM 2, helping you to wake up with more alertness. However, going over into NREM 3 and trying to wake up in that stage can lead to grogginess.<\/p>\n\n\n\n While napping can help you feel less sluggish during the day, there is an optimal time to get the rest you need without disturbing your night\u2019s sleep. And experts suggest before or post-lunch \u2014 ideally, as per Dr. Breus, before 3 p.m.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s really a matter of your chronotype, your body\u2019s natural inclination to sleep at a certain time (and you can find out yours with this quiz<\/a>). If you\u2019re an early riser, your circadian rhythm might slump in around noon; if you tend to wake up later, then your slump might naturally decline a little later as well.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleeping later in the day (i.e., after 3 p.m.) can be counterproductive, making it more difficult for you to fall asleep at night. Dr. Breus adds, \u201cI can\u2019t count the number of patients I have who try to catch some rest during the day only to have their naps interfere with either their nighttime sleep and throw off their sleep-wake schedules, or they just can\u2019t get out of the nap, and they\u2019re groggy the rest of the day.<\/em>\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n The timing and duration of your nap depend a lot on your individual needs and circumstances.<\/p>\n\u2014 Dr. Michael Breus, trainer of Mindvalley\u2019s The Mastery of Sleep Quest<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n So find the best nap time for you \u2014 find out your chronotype and test out different times to see which half-an-hour is best for you to catch those forty winks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You might question, \u201cDo power naps work?<\/em>\u201d\u2014and that\u2019s a valid one to ask. After all, how effective is 10 to 30 minutes of shut-eye anyway?<\/p>\n\n\n\n It turns out, there are science-backed benefits to a quick snooze. Here are five of them, as shared by Dr. Breus, with research findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep allows our body to rejuvenate itself and provides a boost of energy. And that goes for the brain, too. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The same study in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society<\/em> looked at the link between afternoon napping and cognitive function. It found that the overall cognition of those who napped for 30 to 90 minutes was significantly better than that of those who didn\u2019t nap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s a legendary story about how Thomas Edison would create solutions when he was stumped\u2014he’d take a nap in his chair, holding something (various versions include marbles, quarters, or a steel ball) in his hand. As he dozed off, the thing he was holding would fall, and the noise would wake him up, and that would spark a Eureka!<\/em> moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A 2021 study<\/a> published in the Journal of Science Advances<\/em> demonstrated that brain activity during NREM Stage 1 ignites creative sparks. The participants were given mathematical problems to solve without knowing about the hidden rule, which would\u2019ve allowed them to solve the equations almost instantly. The researchers found that those who spent at least 15 minutes napping found the hidden rule (as opposed to the ones who remained awake).<\/p>\n\n\n\n Their findings suggest there\u2019s a \u201ccreative sweet spot\u201d with a quick snooze, much like Thomas Edison\u2019s version of a power nap. (Additionally, they also found that those who transitioned into deep sleep negated the results and weren\u2019t able to find the hidden rule. That means going into NREM Stage 3 and REM may be great for our body\u2019s rejuvenation, but not so much for our creativity.)<\/p>\n\n\n\n In addition to brain function, another thing power naps can help with is being able to think clearly and rationally. Research shows that napping improves memory processing and learning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In fact, scientists at Germany\u2019s Saarland University found a 45- to 60-minute power nap can boost memory performance significantly. Their 2015 study<\/a> observed two groups of participants who had to memorize various words and word pairs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One group was then allowed to nap while the other group was given a DVD to watch. Their results showed that those who had taken a nap retained more words and word pairs from memory than those who watched the DVD.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There\u2019s evidence that sleep helps relieve stress and support the immune system. But what about naps?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Thankfully, taking a siesta can lower stress levels as well as reduce the impact of insufficient sleep. And a 2015 randomized controlled study<\/a> backs this up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The participants were a group of 11 healthy men between the ages of 25 and 32. They underwent two sessions of sleep testing\u2014one where they were limited to two hours of sleep for one night and the other where they could take two 30-minute naps the day after their sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The researchers\u2019 findings suggest that power naps have stress-releasing and immune effects. As one of the researchers, Brice Faraut, Ph.D., adds, \u201cNapping may offer a way to counter the damaging effects of sleep restriction by helping the immune and neuroendocrine systems to recover.<\/em>“<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep deficiency can be due to many reasons. It could be that you\u2019re sleep-deprived, don\u2019t get quality sleep at night, or have a sleep disorder<\/a>. However, taking a power nap can benefit your energy levels and physical performance. <\/p>\n\n\n\n One study<\/a> published in Frontiers in Physiology<\/em> compared the effect of different nap times (25, 35, and 45 minutes) on a high-intensity, short-duration performance\u2014in this case, a five-meter shuttle run. They found that taking a daytime nap, no matter the timing, helped improve performance and reduce fatigue; however, the 45-minute nap was the most effective.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This can definitely help those who work high-stress, shift-related jobs, like nurses, doctors, truck drivers, military workers, and so on. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s one thing to optimize your sleep<\/a> at night; it\u2019s another to do so for your power nap. But here\u2019s the thing: It helps you fall into NREM faster.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Given that a power nap lasts anywhere from 10 to 30 minutes, it could be beneficial to learn tips on how to take a power nap so that you can get the most out of it. Here are three that Dr. Breus advises doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This nap is, hands down, one of the Sleep Doctor\u2019s favorites. It\u2019s \u201ca 25-minute nap taken somewhere in the early afternoon,<\/em>\u201d he explains. And here\u2019s how you do it:<\/p>\n\n\n\n He adds, \u201cWhen you wake up after 25 minutes, that caffeine is kicking in, and you\u2019re good to go for four hours.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is what Dr. Breus calls the \u201cCEO Nap.\u201d It\u2019s a power nap taken in the mid-afternoon, around 1-3 p.m., that\u2019s meant to help boost your daily energy, focus, and mental performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis is somewhat similar to the nap-a-latte but without the caffeine,<\/em>\u201d he says. And if you need a little help to get into sleep mode, you can do breathing techniques<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Remember to limit the time to 30 minutes max; use an alarm if you have to. Any more than that can lead to grogginess and tiredness when you wake up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you\u2019re a parent, you may have quickly learned that having children and sleep deprivation go hand-in-hand. Between your baby\u2019s naptime, feedings, and diaper changes, getting any kind of sleep seems like a \u201cwish upon a star.\u201d So this tip makes for one of the best sleeping tips for new parents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe strategy here is to nap when your child naps<\/em>,\u201d Dr. Breus advises. \u201cYou\u2019ll have more energy, more patience, and more focus for your child and all other parts of your busy life.<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n If a good night\u2019s sleep is like ice cream, a power nap is like the sprinkles on top. While the ice cream is great on its own, the sprinkles enhance its flavor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, if you want to learn how to sleep better (or nap), you can dive in deeper with Dr. Michael Breus in The Mastery of Sleep<\/em> Quest on Mindvalley. With his guidance, you can learn how to:<\/p>\n\n\n\nWhat Is a Power Nap?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How long should a power nap be?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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What is the best time to nap?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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![\"Woman](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/53cde80f-power-nap-canva-02.jpg\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\n5 Science-Backed Benefits of Taking a Power Nap<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Boost your brain function<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
2. Enhance your creativity<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Improve your critical thinking skills<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
4. Lower your stress levels<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
5. Give you more energy and improve your physical performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Dr.](\"https:\/\/storage.googleapis.com\/mv-prod-blog-en-assets\/2022\/12\/08b98af2-power-nap-mindvalley-live-la-20204z6a8553-1-kersti-niglas.jpg\")
How to Take a Power Nap: 3 Simple Tips From the Sleep Doctor<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
1. Try a nap-a-latte<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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2. Make it short and sweet<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
3. Nap when your child naps (if you\u2019re a parent)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Nap Mode: On<\/h2>\n\n\n\n