How to take a perfect Nap

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Research has indicated that a complete night's sleep has numerous benefits for memory, mood, and the immune system, among other things. However, the question remains: what about daytime napping? Is it advantageous or detrimental? How does the duration of the nap affect us, and is there an optimal time for a quick snooze? Thankfully, researchers have delved into this topic as well. Depending on a person's age, napping can be downright necessary.

Typically, younger individuals require more sleep to accommodate the development of their brains and bodies. Newborns, for example, are recommended to get 14 to 17 hours of sleep, while preschoolers should aim for 10 to 13 hours of shut-eye each day. However, it's important to note that this sleep doesn't happen in one continuous stretch; children need to take naps, despite their objections. Guidelines also suggest that children aged 6 to 13 should get anywhere from 9 to 11 or even 12 hours of sleep daily. So, if you're in junior high and find yourself dozing off in class, you can inform your teacher that it's scientifically healthy. It might not get you out of trouble, but at least it'll give the teachers a good laugh in the faculty lounge later on.

But what about adults? Do we really need to squeeze in a nap? Strictly speaking, it doesn't appear to be an inherent need for our species. Our modern way of life, with its 9-to-5 jobs and electric light bulbs, may have altered our sleep patterns compared to our ancient ancestors. To investigate this, researchers studied 94 individuals from present-day hunter-gatherer groups in Tanzania, Namibia, and Bolivia, who live more similarly to humans 10,000 years ago. While most of them took a break in the middle of the day when the sun was at its peak, none of them used that time to catch some sleep. So, it seems that napping is not an innate behavior for humans but rather a response to the demands of modern life.

That being said, napping can still have potential benefits for adults. Our brains go through different sleep stages, and the advantages of a nap are correlated with its duration. If you find yourself feeling sluggish after lunch, a quick power nap of around 20 minutes could be enough to rejuvenate you and enhance alertness. A short nap may also benefit memory in certain ways. However, longer naps can provide even greater advantages for learning and recall. Taking a 60-minute nap, for example, could help with remembering vocabulary or directions. Napping for an hour to an hour and a half allows your brain to enter REM sleep, and some research suggests that the benefits for learning are comparable to a full night's sleep. It's worth noting that the ideal nap length varies from person to person. The 20-minute power nap is not a hard and fast rule; some individuals might experience the same benefits with as little as 10 minutes of sleep, while others may need up to 45 minutes. However, be cautious: allowing your brain to enter the deep sleep stage could result in sleep inertia, leaving you feeling groggy and paradoxically more tired upon waking. Additionally, napping at the wrong time of day can disrupt nighttime sleep, making it harder to fall asleep later on. If you adhere to a 9-to-5 schedule, it's advisable to avoid napping after 4 PM.

Interestingly, regular nappers tend to derive more benefits from their naps compared to those who don't nap regularly. They often feel sharper and in better spirits after waking up, unlike their counterparts who might feel sluggish. However, it's important to note that regular nappers may simply be self-selecting individuals who choose to nap because they experience benefits from it. In other words, they may already be predisposed to napping and its positive effects. On the other hand, those who feel groggy or unpleasant after napping might be less inclined to nap frequently. If you find yourself in the latter category, napping may not be suitable for you. But hey, there's always coffee if you struggle with falling asleep. And if you have difficulty sleeping, a white noise machine might be helpful.