The Power of the Power Nap

I work a pretty crazy shift:  I'm up at 3:30 am and work until 1 pm.  When I get home from work, I have very little energy.  It's the equivalent of getting off a normal job at 6, except it's the beginning of the afternoon.  I usually stay awake for the next nine hours too, and usually go to bed around 10 pm.  I don't really sleep much, and yet I function pretty well for 18 hours.  Granted, I try to eat a lot of foods that give me natural energy, but I have also mastered the art of a power nap.

During college, I used to power nap between classes on a couch in the library.  And looking back, I remember not only at my school, but also ones I toured or visited, students were always sprawled out somewhere napping-- on the grass in the quad, in a study lounge, and even in the stacks.  They were on to something.

A power nap is actually defined as 20 minutes or less, according to many different sources.  I once read that as long as you keep it between 20 to 45 you will still wake up feeling refreshed.  Any longer and it could make you sleepier.  A study by the National Institute of Health found that a power nap can make you more alert and productive throughout the day.  Their disclaimer:  it works, but only if you do it right.

Is there a wrong way to sleep?  Actually yes.  That's probably why tens of millions of prescriptions are handed out to Americans each year for sleep disorders.  But is there a wrong way to take a nap?  Some experts think so.  An article from WebMD says that it's important to find a good place to nap: some place quiet, dark, and comfortable. Personally, I try not to nap in my bed because I want to separate my night's sleep from a quick snooze.  So I sleep in the middle of my living room on a futon.  (It's kind of like when they tell you not to study or watch TV in your bedroom because you want your bedroom to be associated with sleep and comfort-- not distractions and homework.)  I also know that if I try to take a power nap in my bed, I will have a very hard time getting up to the alarm.  I like sleeping, and I really like my electric blanket.

Doctors recommend making it a quick 20 minute nap, and waking up as soon as the alarm goes off.  You don't want to oversleep or you'll wake up feeling groggy.  Also, sleeping too long during the day will keep you awake at night.  And keep a blanket on hand because experts say your body temp drops when you sleep.

Remember napping isn't only for babies.  Some really influential people were known to nap, including JFK, Napoleon, Thomas Edison, Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci and Bill Clinton.