With Great Power Comes Great Productivity: The How-tos of Power Naps

Research now tells us that regular, short sleeping stints can provide adults with numerous mental and physiological benefits.

Whether you struggle with remaining focused and alert during a workday, or naturally doze off in the afternoon, your body may be trying to tell you that there’s a better way to monitor your energy levels.

Used by the likes of Winston Churchill, JFK and even Albert Einstein, power napping is a well-researched tool you can use to improve your relationship with rest and even strengthen certain parts of your brain.

What is a power nap?

A power nap is a brief but deep enough sleep during the daytime for replenishing energy levels. It gives the brain just long enough of a break that it wakes up feeling invigorated and more capable of concentration.

Power naps can last anywhere between 15 minutes to 60 minutes, but nappers should monitor themselves carefully for maximum benefits. Everyone has a different relationship with sleep, and different lengths of napping can result in different responses within the body.

There are five main stages of sleep that everyone goes through in a night of rest, but power napping typically remains within the first two. Exceeding the second stage of sleep can cause the opposite of what people need, often causing grogginess and disorientation.

Sleep cycles and the four stages of sleep

During an average night of seven to eight hours of adult sleep, the brain will transition through several cycles, each of which contain four different stages of sleep. A full cycle will cover both non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep.

During a power nap, you will likely only enter into the first and second stages of sleep (also known as NREM 1 and NREM 2), though NREM 3 is attainable in a power nap.

Within these three stages, the body experiences the production of Alpha waves, a slowing down of brain activity and gentle hallucinations. Muscles relax, eye movement slows down and the body becomes less aware of its surroundings.

It’s just NREM 1, 2 and sometimes 3 that are responsible for the refreshing, rejuvenating energy spike that we experience after a power nap.

NREM 1 and 2 typically last just 15 to 20 minutes after falling asleep. Upon waking, they can cause a burst of mental and physical energy, a better ability to execute fine-motor skills and an increased ability to concentrate.

NREM 3 extends between 30 to 50 minutes, delivering a heightened ability to make decisions, improve memorization, expand vocabulary and facilitate creative problem-solving. If you want to master the art of power napping, it’s these three stages of sleep that you want to aim for.

Power nap like a professional

Now that you understand how power napping works and why it can be so beneficial, let’s talk about the best ways to incorporate it into your daily routine. The trick is to do so without disrupting your nightly sleep cycle or accidentally triggering unwanted results.

1. Timing is everything

There are two very important parts of power napping that pertain to timing. First, picking the right time of the day to take your nap will play a vital role in its outcome. Studies suggest that between 12pm and 3pm is the best time for a power nap. Just after your post-lunch energy crash and just before the late afternoon occurs. Napping after 3pm can result in grogginess and may disturb your sleep later that night.

Second, make sure to always set a timer on your phone that gently rouses you at your predetermined time. You don’t want to sleep for longer than anticipated, and setting an alarm can help prevent that. 

2. Pick the right spot

This one may be tricky if you work in a busy office, but can significantly improve your power napping experience if possible. When preparing for a power nap, allocate a quiet, comfortable space that isn’t too bright and where you won’t get disturbed by other people or activities. Minimizing the amount of distractions around you can mean a quicker transition into sleep and a deeper, more restorative rest overall.

3. Napping tools

If you’re going to regularly power nap, there are a few tools you can invest in that will improve the quality of your rest and assist in a smoother transition into sleep.

A soft, dark-colored eye mask will make even the brightest of rooms comfortably dark, and a neck pillow offers ample physical comfort if you can’t lie down. A set of high quality headphones is ideal for noise-cancellation purposes, or for playing relaxing music. 

4. Understand this may not work for you

Unfortunately, not everyone’s suited to the art of power napping. If you struggle with a sleep dysfunction like insomnia (whether primary or secondary), daytime napping may cause more harm than good.

People with sleep disorders already suffer from sleeplessness at night, and napping during the day can further exacerbate those frustrations. If you’re unsure about whether power napping is for you, consult a somnologist for advice.

Rest is best

Even the busiest schedules can benefit from a little extra sleep, as the ultimate goal of a well-timed power nap is to reduce overall tiredness, and boost mental and physical energy levels. It’s also intended to sharpen important neurological functions such as memory retention and problem-solving.

However, it’s important to remember everyone has a unique relationship with sleep. Figuring out what time, duration and exact atmosphere works best for you may require some trial and error.

Be gentle with yourself, and don’t push for the nap if you find it disrupts the quality of your night-time rest. After all, your body knows what it needs, if only you’re quiet enough to listen.