Almost everyone must have heard about getting seven to eight hours of sleep a night. But is it necessary to sleep or take a nap between working hours during the day?
The concept of power nap is not new but famous scientist Albert Einstein and former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill were also famous for taking power naps.
A number of studies have been conducted on taking short rest breaks between work hours, which have shown that doing so improves memory and performance.
According to the news organization 'Associated Press', it is normal to take a short break in the afternoon to rest in some parts of Spain and Italy. This concept is also encouraged in China and Japan.
A study published in the Oxford journal Sleep also found that short naps during work are good for performance.
But even today there are mixed views regarding this concept. Many people take short naps while working.
According to 'AP', some people in the US also see short sleep breaks during work as laziness. Sleeping during work is prohibited by the federal government except in exceptional circumstances.
James Rowley, program director of the Sleep Medicine Fellowship at Rush University Medical Center in the US, says, "It's important to keep sleep intervals short between work hours. A short nap is a 'restoration session' that refreshes the mind during work, keeping you more alert."
According to him, a nap session should be 15 to 20 minutes. Sleeping more than this period can lead to other problems like difficulty waking up and lethargy.
James Rowley adds that people who rely on regular naps to catch up on their sleep may need to examine their bedtime habits as well.
Experts recommend setting an alarm 20 to 30 minutes before a nap.
Even a short nap of six minutes can help improve your ability to learn, says researcher Valentin Draghi of Houston Methodist Hospital and Rice University.
Now that you know about short sleep periods, let's talk about timings. It is also important to determine the right time to take a short nap.
Michael Chi, director of the National University of Singapore's Center for Sleep and Cognition, says mid-afternoon is the best time to take a nap. It matches your natural sleep cycle.
According to him, for those who work during daylight hours, taking a nap after 6 pm can interfere with their night sleep.
