From Cat Naps to Power Naps, your guide to the perfect siesta
Do you struggle with the mid-afternoon droops? Your tank goes from full to empty in a minute and a half and you can’t keep your thought train on track? Maybe it’s time for a good old fashioned nap. Churchill did it. So did Di Vinci and Napoleon. Even Martha Stewart counts napping as time well spent.
Napping’s proven benefits:
A recent University of California, Berkeley study put napping to the test.
Two groups of students took a mid-afternoon quiz; then one group indulged in a power nap while the other continued with their day. After the napping crowd woke up, they all took a second test. The nappers test performance increased their pre-nap scores by 10%. The non-nappers? Their test results declined by 10% Napping – One. Skipping the Nap – Zero.
Other studies show that:
• Sleep deprivation reduces our ability to learn new facts by about 40%.
• Men who took naps at least three times a week lower their risk of heart-related death by 37%
• For 92.5% of workers, a nap boosts productivity, creativity and problem solving skills.
Good Nap Guidelines
How can you avoid the post-doze drowsies? It’s all in the duration (and the science of the sleep cycle).
In an average sleep cycle we move through phase 1 (drowsiness) and phase 2 (light sleep) in 15-30 minutes. Waking during either of these phases is easy. Progressing into phase 3 (deep sleep) without allowing time to enter and complete phase 4 (REM sleep) leaves us drowsy, disoriented and, well, grumpy.
The bottom line: if you can’t take two hours, keep it under 30 minutes.
A luxury nap combo from Natura
Investing in a good nap is luxurious and nourishing, like eating a bowl of homemade soup. Whether you plan your naps, or just take them when needed, some creature comforts can help you nod off with ease when you do.
A favourite blanket and pillow and a special napping spot, can set the mood and signal that it’s down time. The Natura 2-in-1 Blanket-pillow offers the cozy comfort of washable wool and cotton percale, and it folds into a neat little throw pillow when nap time ends.
The lavender infused cover of our Lavender pillow puts aromatherapy to work for you and invites a calm drift to your afternoon doze. Together they’re a power nap power duo.
Ready to discover more ways to up the vitality of your day? Visit the Healthy Sleep Center for tips on getting a great night’s rest.
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