Furthermore introducing this mode of working is being taken on by big companies who see power napping as an opportunity to revolutionize the performance of their teams
According to leading sleep scientist Matthew Walkerprofessor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of Californiatelling co workers you are less than rested is a common tactic to avoid being given a label of lazy
We want to seem busy
and one way we express that is by proclaiming how little sleep were getting
Matthew Walker
Of course we all want to look like were earning our paycheck However sleep deprivation costs the US economy $680 billion each year Plus even moderately sleep deprived participants will have a 50 slower response time on the job compared to someone whos under the influence of alcohol
Getting enough ZZZs every night is vital to performing well at work It matters not only for our health but for the economy as a whole
Despite this when youre managing a particularly heavy schedule it can be all too easy to cut corners on sleep Sometimes other aspects of life just have to be dealt with We are only human But if you are feeling sluggish forgetful or slow on too many days of the week it could be worth speaking to your manager about whether you could sleep in the office Seriously taking a short nap in the daytime has been scientifically proven to boost performance
The challenge will be convincing your superiors that a short sleepor power napwill give you the boost to productivity that you need Thats why in this article well show you what a power nap is and how it could benefit your working day With a little help you could show your superiors that hard rest really can equate to hard work
What is a power nap and why do you need one
A power nap is a daytime sleep that is short enough to give you a boost of energy and improve your concentration There are different types of power naps and different durations
Compensatory naps
If youre feeling sleep deprived this type of nap could replace what you may have lost the night before Duration Up to 90 minutes
Appetitive naps
If you arent feeling sleep deprived appetitive naps in the afternoon can still boost productivity and reduce tiredness Duration Less than 30 minutes
Prophylactic naps
If you work nighttime shifts where your natural circadian rhythm gets disrupted napping
ahead of time can prevent sleepiness on the job Duration VariableAsking your boss for some time to sleep during the day may be a challenge If thats the case know that napping for just 10 or 20 minutes can still bring significant benefits to your performance
10 minute nap Reduces fatigue and blood pressure Increases alertness for up to 4 hours
20 minute nap Boosts mood and cognitive performance without affecting nighttime sleep
90 minute nap Improves memory creativity and helps to feel fully refreshed
And if your boss is still not convinced tell them a NASA study discovered that a 40 minute daytime nap increases performance by 34
5 ways a power nap will increase your productivity
Increased alertness
Famous power nappers have included John F Kennedy Ronald Reagan Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill And for good reason taking short afternoon naps has been proven to improve alertness accuracy and short term memory
If youre working in a fast paced environment that requires quick decisions and lots of communication a 20 minute nap could make all the difference to your day
Better creative problem solving
REM sleep is usually attained during a full cycle of sleep If youre able to take a 90 minute nap during the day you should be able to benefit from REM sleep
And its REM sleep weve got to thank for significantly enhancing creativity and emotional memory both of which are needed to be a creative problem solver
Improved memory
Napping can have a huge impact on learning Studies have proven that taking a break in between academic studies for a 1 hour afternoon nap enhances memory to the equivalent of a whole hour of additional study
And following a study of 41 participants published in the Neurobiology of Learning and Memory daytime naps of 45 to 60 minutes are shown to improve memory retrieval by as much as 5 times
Fewer impulsive actions
Not sleeping enough has been proven to negatively impact impulsivity
According to a study by the University of Michigan napping could also help those who need to work night shifts by building resilience in their emotional responses
If you sleep well youre less likely to do something you may have ordinarily thought twice about And the last thing anyone wants is to lose another nights sleep over something they regret
Reduced levels of stress
Have you ever felt like everything seemed much harder to deal with after a sleepless night
Taking on too much stress can cause havoc on your mind body and worst of all your sleep By taking a short nap in the daytime you can lower your blood pressure and boost your immune system You will also feel less stressed
How to be a good power napper
Making time for a snooze in the day is a good idea However making sure you do it properly will take some practice You should be aware that long napping in the day can lead to sleep inertia which is that feeling of grogginess you get after a deep sleep
By creating a few strategies to manage your time and environment before long you could find a way to reap the benefits from regular daytime power napping
And look if the likes of Google and Ben Jerrys allow their staff to do it why cant you
Set an alarm
Unless youre already a pro at power napping youll need to set an alarm If you dont you could creep into a sleep thats longer than you intended and end up feely groggy and worse off
Use the timer on your smartphone to wake you up This way youll have some control over when you wake Also youll rest easy knowing that you wont be oversleeping This of course depends on having enough battery power in your phone to start with but there are techniques you can use to prevent your phone battery from running low
Plan your nap after 2 pm
All of us have experienced that post lunch afternoon slump right When you feel heavier sleepier and your eyelids start to droop
Blood sugar levels start to dip after lunch which can leave you feeling drowsy This is when your body is ready to take a snooze and is the best time of the day for a nap
Its also a more efficient way of speeding up the sleep process If you only have 20 minutes to get your shut eye youll want to get there quickly
Find the right environment
Most leaders havent designed their offices to include staff sleeping areas
However with companies such as Cisco installing sleeping pods and embedding breakoutsleep areas for staff we wont have to wait too long until its the norm
If you can negotiate with your boss to reserve some time in an unused meeting room staff facility or prayer room These days companies need to accommodate a variety of lifestyle needs so it shouldnt seem too out of the ordinary Find a quiet air conditioned room grab a headrest or pillow and set your phone timer to wake you Before long you could be drifting off to dreamland in the blink of an eye
Conclusion
Becoming an expert at power napping isnt just great for your health its great for your company
And since there are so many benefits to a companys bottom line many more are starting to accommodate this need Despite this convincing your boss to let you have a sleep may be a challenge To help you make up for any nighttime losses that are beyond your control consider raising it
Even just a 10 minute nap can help you feel more focused alert and better able to achieve your goals
Of course the best remedy to boost your productivity is to do everything you can to sleep well every night Try to avoid the many mistakes people make like spending too much time on your phone before going to bed
Instead save your battery for the day after to schedule a daytime power nap With the right conditions to become an expert power napper it wont be long before you get back to being employee of the month again
If after following these recommendations youre still feeling tired throughout the day and constantly fighting sleep you may have a more serious sleep disorder such as obstructive sleep apnea If this is the case no amount of napping will help you feel more rested
If you live in Alaska and you would like to speak to a sleep specialist please give Alaska Sleep Clinic a call today or click the link below
