The best length of time for a "cat nap," or power nap, is less than 30 minutes. Image: Shutterstock |
But naps can be dangerous, too. Many of us have strayed into
the three and four hour range, and while that can be helpful, it’s not exactly
conducive to getting things done. The best length of time for a “power” nap is actually less than thirty minutes.
There are three main stages of the sleep cycle. Stages one
and two are considered “light” sleeping, and occur within 10-30 minutes. Slow
eye movement begins in stage one, as you start drifting off. When you go into
stage two, your brain starts inhibiting processing, ignoring outside stimuli,
and consolidating memories.
Stage 3 REM sleep begins after 30 minutes. Image: Shutterstock |
Stage three, which occurs after thirty minutes, is
considered “deep” sleep, and is when rapid eye movement (REM) begins. Here is
where most dreams begin and your body starts slowing down for long-term rest.
Waking from this deep stage of sleep causes what is called sleep inertia. Motor
dexterity goes down, while grogginess and the desire for sleep increases.
In order to be helpful, not hurtful, naps should be limited to about 25 minutes during the day. Taking a nap can be rejuvenating and increase productivity, keeping you from dragging through the rest of your day. In fact, in Japan, some nap salons have even opened up, giving sleepy workers a chance to get a little shuteye on a daybed before returning to work.
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