The perfect way to overcome the midday slump? Power napping! Regain lost energy and boost your mental performance.
Table of contents
1. What is power napping?
Power napping sounds exciting, but it's actually quite simple: a short nap in the middle of the day . What we've forgotten as young adults is completely natural for small children and older people.
In many cultures around the world, naps still have a firm place . What the Spanish call " siesta " is known to the Japanese as " inemuri ." Here, it's perfectly normal to take a short nap during work.
In China, too, the midday nap is an integral part of work culture: the Chinese " xiu-xi " is indispensable here. Because of its productivity-enhancing effect, it also served as a model for the power nap, which is becoming increasingly popular, especially in American management and entrepreneurial culture.
In the US, many well-known and high-performing companies like Google , Uber , and Nike have long since integrated the power nap into their daily work routine. More and more companies and coworking spaces are making room for relaxation rooms, recliners, and extra-large sofas.
Ironically, however, it was precisely the efficient Germans who long denied the potential of daytime sleep. Fortunately, a performance improvement of up to 40% cannot be denied, so the power nap is slowly but surely gaining ground here as well.
2. The right duration for your power nap
Due to the specific nature of human sleep phases, it is crucial to determine your sleep duration in advance . Generally speaking, returning to everyday life becomes a little more difficult with every minute of sleep.
Therefore, the right duration for your power nap needs to be chosen carefully:
5 -20 minutes
This duration is considered optimal for most people —especially for a short nap during your lunch break. With a short nap of 5 to 20 minutes, you're still in "NREM," the non-rapid eye movement phase. Deep sleep is still a long way off.
Even such a short nap has the effect of clicking on a mental refresh button : you are more awake and attentive with a significantly improved ability to absorb information [1].
30 minutes
If you nap for about 30 minutes a day, the effect on your mental performance is essentially the same. However, the extended sleep duration does have a drawback: it will be significantly harder for you to interrupt your nap .
After 30 minutes, you'll be a little groggy after waking up and need to settle back in. If you don't want to risk dizziness, you should stick to the ultra-short version [2].
60 minutes
A nap of approximately 60 minutes will particularly deepen the positive effects on your memory performance . Especially if you frequently forget names, dates, or other details because you're constantly on the go, you should plan a longer nap every now and then.
Even if you're learning a new skill or memorizing complex facts, you can simply take a nap after studying. This valuable recovery time helps your brain process information and transfer it into long-term memory.
90 minutes
90 minutes is the absolute limit for power naps . This is when you're already slipping into the so-called "REM phase." REM stands for Rapid Eye Movement. This phase is considered particularly restorative: Your sleep becomes increasingly deeper, and you begin to process and sort through your experiences.
While a 90-minute nap has a very positive effect on your creativity and ability to learn new things, be careful: the longer you sleep, the harder it will be for you to return to a waking state . Therefore, you should only take that extra-long power nap when you really need it.
3. Learn to power nap
A good trick for office nappers who are afraid of not waking up is the " key sleep technique ." This involves sitting quietly in your chair and dozing off in a relaxed manner. In your hand is a key that can fall and wake you if you sleep too deeply.
If, on the other hand, you have trouble falling asleep , you should especially find ways to create darkness and silence. When traveling or at the office, you can wear particularly opaque black sleep masks and earplugs .
Relaxing music or autogenic training can also help restless minds calm down more quickly. Those who practice yoga or meditation also have a good foundation for a restful nap.
When your alarm goes off, you should get up immediately if possible. If necessary, you can slowly get your circulation going again by splashing water on your face, drinking something, stretching, and then, ideally, taking a few more steps.
4. Power napping in the office
Who hasn't experienced the dreaded midday slump? Between 12 and 2 p.m. , usually around the time of our last meal, we lose energy and focus . The sad result: Your performance plummets. Coffee, mate, and the like make you a little more alert, but they only help to a limited extent when it comes to restoring mental capacity.
With a short power nap at work, you can not only replenish your energy reserves but also improve your mental performance . After all, you'll especially benefit from the performance-enhancing effects of a power nap in the office.
However, it's important that you find a suitable place for your nap in the office. If in doubt, coordinate your bedtime with your colleagues so they don't accidentally interrupt you.
5. Power napping effects
According to studies, a power nap not only makes you more alert, but depending on the duration and intensity, it can also specifically improve your memory , concentration and creativity [3].
Like all forms of sleep, regular naps can improve your well-being and make you generally more relaxed , stress-resistant , and happier . This also applies in acute stressful situations.
If you learn to nap effectively, you can simply stop emotional and mental baggage or the unpleasant carousel of thoughts and reset your mind . Thus, a power nap can also make an important contribution to your mental health.
6. Conclusion
Power napping is a wonderful way to overcome the midday slump and regain lost mental capacity. Not only does it make you more alert and fitter, but it also improves your memory and concentration. Longer power naps can even boost your creativity.
Setting an alarm is essential for a good nap: This is the only way to avoid slipping into the deep sleep phase due to sleeping too long and feeling groggy and confused after your daytime sleep.
Create the perfect sleeping environment on the go with extra-dark sleep masks, earplugs, and relaxation exercises. It's also important to be in a quiet, undisturbed place.
8. Sources
[1] Studte, S.; Bridger, N.; Mecklinger, A. (2015), Nap Sleep Preserves Associative but Not Item Memory Performance, Neurobiology of Learning and Memory, Volume 120, p. 84-93, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25732251/.
[2] Lovato, N.; Lack, L. (2010), The Effects of Napping on Cognitive Functioning, Progress in Brain Research, Volume 185, p. 155-166, https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/B9780444537027000099?via%3Dihub.
[3] Milner, C.E.; Cote, K. (2009), Benefits of Napping in Healthy Adults: Impact of Nap Length, Time of Day, Age, and Experience With Napping, Journal of Sleep Research, Volume 18, Issue 2, p. 272-281, https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00718.x.
