21 February 2008

Power Naps

An afternoon nap or adequate night sleep itself is a priceless luxury for those in the fast lane. In many cases a short afternoon sleep or power nap can have beneficial effects. Everyone has different indications for the body crying out for a pause and we must learn recognize those. These symptoms range between drooping eyes/ moodiness/ lethargy/ difficulty in decision making or communicating etc.

The power nap works best if you are able to comfortably lie down in a quiet place. Generally a maximum of 30 minutes of sleep works best to recharge your mind and body. Longer sleep takes us into deeper sleep stages and this could lead to sleeplessness at night. It’s a good idea to set the alarm even for a 20-minute nap to avoid such problems.

This does not take away the importance of adequate sleep at night. Some experts opine that if a person gets adequate night sleep then he/she should not feel tired during the day. Others recommend the power nap as a simple mid day relaxation technique for both mind and body.

Either way there is no reason for not grabbing 40 winks as long as your work efficiency remains high. Listen and understand your body and choose what works best for you. The idea is to work hard and do your best but not at the cost of damaging your body!

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