Should You Be Taking Power Naps? The Pros and Cons

If you are tired and looking for a small break, then you may need a power nap. A power nap time is a short duration of rest that lasts less than half an hour. It is a kind of power sleep that rejuvenates, refreshes, and restores the mind with energy to work till the end of the day. The present blog describes in detail what power nap is, how long should a power nap be, its advantages, pitfalls, and everything.  

What is a power nap?

Natural sleep cycles have various phases. They may be long and deep. However, a power nap is a short sleep period. They do not make a person feel drowsy or have sleep inertia. If you are wondering how long should a power nap be then the answer is between 5 and 20 minutes. Researchers conducted various studies to know how long is a power nap and found that the ideal time of power sleep is 10-20 minutes.  

Advantages of power naps:

Research shows that power naps have many advantages. They are:

• Power naps improve an individual's focus and alertness.
• Studies have shown that power nap time improves performance in memory tests.  
• Individuals who take power naps have faster reactions and feel refreshed.  
• Physical performance improvement is also seen with power naps, and hence, it is generally included as part of the routine by many athletes.  
• The power nap benefits by reducing stress levels in the body.  

How do power naps work?

In case you are questioning the effectiveness of power nap time remember that athletes like Usain Bolt have included it as part of their daily routine. It is also a part of the curriculum in many schools to improve the working efficiency of the brain in school-going children.  

A short power sleep acts by recovering the brain. The neurons that have worked hard tend to relax, rest, and restore despite not reaching deeper sleep stages. The power nap time reduces stress by controlling blood pressure and cortisol. The other major advantage of power nap time is that it does not disturb the body’s circadian rhythm.  

The other power nap benefits are due to their effect on body temperature and hormone levels. The mid-afternoon period leads to reduced body temperature and hormone levels. Power sleep counteracts these reductions and restores the levels energizing the body.  

Ideal time and duration:

Timing is essential for a power sleep break. The ideal power nap time is between 1 and 4 pm. Studies have shown that a short duration of 5-20 minutes will work wonders on the body. However, the power nap time should not extend beyond half an hour to not affect nighttime sleep.  

Health benefits of power naps:

Are you wondering about power nap benefits and whether they help? Yes, as mentioned above, power naps are beneficial due to their relaxing nature. They improve brain function, increase performance, maintain cognitive health, and contribute to cardiovascular well-being. They have to be taken at the right time of the day for a short duration to have an effective result.  

Effect on Brain Function and Alertness:

• Research shows that the immediate benefits of a power nap are improved alertness, faster reaction to stimuli, and improved focus.  
• EEG scans that measured brain activity after a power nap found an increase in brain arousal, with sustained attention and concentration for longer hours without losing focus when compared to those without.  
• A 5-10% improvement in the reaction times was seen in individuals taking a 10-20 minute power nap.  This can be quite helpful for students preparing for competitive exams.  

Effect on Memory and Learning:

• Studies show that power naps have a beneficial effect on memory, like short-term recall, working, and motor memory.  
• A 10% better performance was seen in individuals who took power nap time compared to those who did not due to the brain’s ability to consolidate the information better during the power nap break compared to those who were awake.  
• Experiments were done on the effect of power nap time on activities like typing, playing musical instruments, and sports, where they found a 3% increase in typing speed as the brain could refine the movement patterns when compared to those who did not.  

Effect on Athletic Performance:

• Brief power sleep durations improve athletic performance by improving reaction time, coordination, and accuracy.  
• A brief power nap improves the sprint times and free throw accuracy in basketball players.  
• Tennis players who took power nap breaks found a 13% increase in service accuracy due to enhanced motor coordination and physical precision.  
• Improves Cognitive Function:
• Yes, you heard it right. Research has shown that power nap benefits cognitive function as people age. They found that cognitive decline in old age has slowed down due to larger brain volumes in individuals with better memory and executive function than those with nonnappers, thus reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders by improving memory and executive function.  
• The major advantage of power nap time is neural repair and waste removal, which helps to clear out toxins and abnormally deposited proteins, preventing cellular damage and age-related cognitive decline.  

Effect on Cardiovascular Health:

• The power sleep improves heart health by lowering blood pressure, reducing stress hormone levels, and promoting relaxation.  
• Studies found a 12% lowered risk of coronary heart disease as the parasympathetic activation leads to lowered heart rate and blood pressure.  
• Apart from this, power nap time also controls cortisol levels and promotes relaxation, leading to cardiovascular well-being.  

The cons of power naps:

As mentioned earlier, the timing of power naps is crucial to maximize the benefits of power sleep. The ideal power nap time should be between 1 and 4 p.m. only. If the time extends beyond 4 p.m. then the body’s natural cycle will be disturbed. Late power nap time extension affects the body’s sleep-wake cycle, making it difficult to sleep at night and also reducing the overall sleep quality.  

Moderation is the key to obtaining the maximum benefits of power nap time. Long power nap time exceeding 30 minutes leads to sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is a lethargic feeling after waking from a long afternoon nap. A 30% increase in mortality was found in individuals who nap for more than an hour. This could be due to underlying medical conditions but may not directly relate to nap time.  

Answering the question of how long should a power nap be, experts recommend keeping the power nap time to as short as 10-30 minutes and not more than 1-3 times a week. This ensures that the power nap benefits of energy and cognition are obtained without interfering with nighttime sleep.  

The power nap time is beneficial if taken at an appropriate time and duration. It can improve memory, relax the brain, and improve cardiovascular health. However, long durations can have deleterious effects on health due to their effect on the sleep cycle and the body’s natural rhythm.