Can a Power Nap Help Relieve Stress?

Studies have shown that a short power nap in the afternoon gives more rest than the same length of time added in the morning.  This may be because the afternoon is about 8 hours after we wake up and maybe the body is built that way.  Who knows why we seem to tire in the afternoon approximately 8 hours after we awake?

How long should a power nap last?  Since there are three stages in a sleep cycle - light sleep, deep sleep, and REM (rapid eye movement) sleep.  Deep sleep is thought to be when the body repairs itself, and REM sleep is thought to be when repairs to the mind are made.  Keeping the power nap to less than 30 minutes prevents you from going into deep sleep which could cause you to have trouble awaking.

Some research has shown that a one hour nap can be more effective than the thirty minute nap if you wake up at the end of one of your sleep cycles.  This requires learning how long your sleep cycles are and attempting to awaken at the end of a cycle.  Apparently awakening in the middle of a sleep cycle is what makes you groggy, not the deeper states of sleep.  Sleeping through more than one portion of the sleep cycle can provide an improvement in cognitive reasoning.

Long versus short power naps may be determined by your schedule.  If you only have a few minutes then just closing your eyes for a brief time can have the benefit of reducing stress and helping you to relax.  If you only have fifteen minutes, then take a fifteen minute nap, but if you have about an hour then see if you can complete a whole sleep cycle.

Power naps have been shown to make it harder to get to sleep at night if you don’t have a really big sleep shortage.  The benefits in increased energy and relaxation far outweigh the disadvantages of getting to sleep at night.

If your napping is creating problems getting to sleep at night then there are some things you can do to offset the problem.

Don’t drink any caffeinated beverages after 3:00pm.  Caffein is a stimulant and stays in your system longer than you might think. - four to six hours.

Use an alarm of some type to prevent sleeping longer than you intend and if you don’t have time to take a power nap or it isn’t convenient then you can always choose deep breathing exercises and meditation.  Meditation slows your brain waves in a similar manner to sleeping.

So, yes, power napping can be a useful tool to relieving stress at work.  If you would like a free report on Managing Stress, click here.