AFTERNOON NAP BOOSTS THE BODY AND RESTARTS THE BRAIN

Many sleep experts recommend taking a short nap during the afternoon. Taking a nap during lunchtime at the office isn’t common, and it’s often viewed with skepticism. Arianna Huffington, the founder of The Huffington Post and author of “The Sleep Revolution”, has expressed in her book: “I hope that rooms for taking naps will be as common as conference rooms.” These so-called nap areas are not very common in Estonian offices. Yet, some international companies in Estonia have already implemented them.

Continue reading to discover why an afternoon nap is good and how you can take advantage of it if you have an opportunity to rest during lunchtime.

An afternoon nap is a natural part of the sleep-wake cycle. Research shows that a 15–20-minute nap enhances awareness and increases productivity.

Scientists at the University of Colorado Boulder found that children who do not nap during lunch do not enjoy games as much as those who nap. Children without nap breaks tend to be more nervous, and their problem-solving abilities are inferior compared to those who take naps. The same holds true for adults. Researchers confirm that adults who regularly take afternoon naps have better learning abilities and improved memory. A nap refreshes the brain by clearing short-term memory and making room for new information.

A good restart

Experts believe that 10–20 minutes is sufficient to refresh and recharge the “energy batteries”. With such a short nap, the sleep isn’t as deep as with longer sleep and after waking up, individuals are ready to continue their day from where it was left off. If the nap lasts for 30 minutes, individuals may feel slightly groggy for about half an hour after waking up because the body started entering a deeper sleep phase during the nap. The same applies to a one-hour nap, although a 60-minute nap provides a particularly good restart for memory. Longer naps—around 90 minutes—are recommended for those who have had a short night’s sleep. Since it completes one full sleep cycle, it significantly improves emotional memory and creativity.
In conclusion, an afternoon nap is good for both the body and the mind, and a nap should be taken whenever possible. However, nighttime sleep should not be sacrificed or shortened; the afternoon nap is a supplement to nightly sleep.