Many people are aware of having a sound, good night’s sleep, but they are not aware of the advantages that afternoon naps bring. In fact, in this fast-paced, hectic world, where there is precious little time for a good night’s sleep, and virtually no time for an afternoon nap, many people do not care.
This should not be, as a nap has tremendous benefits for your health. There are different types of naps, depending upon how long you spend sleeping, but they mostly have the same effects. A proper afternoon nap should not take too long, it should not exceed two hours.
1. It refreshes you
In the afternoon, when your body is usually tired, after the first six hours since you wake up that you have been busy, and you respond by taking a nap, you will wake up to find out that you feel regenerated, fresh and alert, and able to take on the whole world. Your mind will be sharp and attentive, and from that moment on, and for the rest of the day, you will be doing your work with better results.
To prove this point, a research showed that companies who allowed their staff to nap got better economic output than companies who did not allow their staff to nap.
2. Boosts cognitive function
If you take a ninety minute nap, you will be able to go through a complete sleep cycle, which repairs, refreshes, and regenerates your body cells, including brain cells, so that they are able to perform better for the rest of the afternoon and day.
3. Relieves stress
Most afternoons for many people are usually a stressful and frustrating time. This can be relieved by taking an afternoon nap. Stress is the enemy of productivity. Workers who are under stress produce less results than workers who are calm, relaxed, or excited. Thus, taking a nap in the afternoon can help to improve productivity.
4. Reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases
In a recent study, a 37% percent in reduction of cardiovascular complications was observed in those people who took a nap. This remarkable result is speculated to be because of the reduced stress the heart and other cardiovascular tissues are under when you nap, and hence the chance they get to recoup and repair themselves.
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