Unlocking the Power of Napping

You may have noticed people sleeping during the middle of the day in many places. In such communities even commercial establishments are seen to be shutter down during the day to promote people to take an afternoon siesta. Here is an informative guide by Dr. Ashok Birbal Jain, MD on the benefits and science behind the mid day short sleep or napping.

What is napping?

Biphasic sleep is a sleep pattern that involves two distinct periods of sleep per day – one main period of sleep at night, followed by a shorter period of sleep, or a nap, during the day.

Biphasic sleep is biological. All humans, are programmed for a dip in alertness that occurs in the mid-afternoon hours. You must have experienced drowsiness that occurs, in the afternoon, especially after lunch. It is called the post-prandial alertness dip. It is a brief decrease from high-degree of alertness to low-level alertness. It is natural instinct to be asleep and napping in the afternoon. Therefore, if you ever have to give a presentation at work, avoid the mid-afternoon slot. 

Power Naps

A nap is a short period of sleep, usually taken during the day. Naps can range from a few minutes to a couple of hours. The optimal nap length and time of day can vary from person to person, but most experts recommend keeping naps limited to 20-30 minutes.

Why Napping more than 30 minutes is dangerous?

Napping more than 30 minutes is not good. It can lead to sleep inertia. Sleep inertia is a period of disorientation that can occur upon waking up from a deep sleep.

If you sleep during a nap for more than 30-40 minutes, you feel disoriented when you wake up. This is because, when you enter deep sleep, the brain and body go through several changes, including a drop in heart rate, blood pressure, and body temperature. These changes make it difficult to wake up quickly and can leave you feeling confused and disoriented for several minutes after waking up.

This can be dangerous, especially if you need to be alert and focused immediately after waking up. For example, if you’re driving or operating heavy machinery, sleep inertia can impair your ability to make quick decisions and react to changes in your environment, increasing the risk of accidents. 

To avoid sleep inertia, it’s recommended to keep naps short (20-30 minutes) and avoid napping too close to bedtime. 

Advantages of napping

Increased alertness and productivity

A short nap can help you feel more alert, refreshed, and productive. It can help improve your ability to focus, concentrate, and perform tasks.

Improved mood

Napping can help improve your mood and reduce stress levels. It can help you feel more relaxed and refreshed, and may even help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

Awake,chaos:we have napped.

E.E. Cummings, Complete Poems, 1913-1962

Enhanced memory and learning

Research suggests that napping can help consolidate memories and improve learning. Taking a nap after learning new information may help you retain and recall that information more effectively.

Improved physical performance

Napping may help improve physical performance, especially in activities that require speed and accuracy, such as sports or driving.

Reduced fatigue

Napping can help reduce fatigue and drowsiness, particularly for people who do not get enough sleep at night.

Improves Heart Health

A team of researchers decided to study the health consequences of missing the afternoon nap in more than 23,000 Greek adults. The researchers tracked the group across a six-year period. The end result was heartbreaking. The study lasted over a span of six years. Prior to the start of this study none of the participants had any history of heart disease. It was noticed that the after this group stopped having their afternoon nap, a 37% increase in risk of death from heart diseases occurred as compared as against those who continued to take regular afternoon naps.

Did You Know?

In the island of Ikaria in Greece men are found to be 4 times more likely to reach the age of 90 years as compared to American males. This is due to their continued tradition of afternoon naps. 

These napping communities have sometimes been described as “the places where people forget to die.” 

The practice of natural biphasic sleep (night sleep and a nap in the afternoon), and a healthy diet, appear to be the keys to a long-sustained life.

Overall, napping can be an effective way to improve cognitive and physical performance, reduce stress, and promote overall health and well-being. However, it’s important to keep naps short (20-30 minutes) and avoid napping too close to bedtime, as this can disrupt night time sleep.

Note: This information is provided for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute providing medical opinion.

About the Author

Dr. Ashok Birbal Jain, MD is an eminent Physician of Wardha, India, with four decades of active practice. He graduated from MGIMS, Sewagram, Maharashtra. His research study during M. D. was on Heart-Lung problems. He is the Executive Director of Center for Diabetes Heart & Asthma Care (CDHAC)

Along with his spouse Dr. Aruna A Birbal Jain, MD an eminent Pathologist, he has authored many books. Their books reflect their vast experience in early detection and managing various health problems.

He is a voracious reader and has vast knowledge. Dr. Ashok has a strong hold on holistic sciences of Homeopathy, Yoga, Ayurveda and Reiki also.