It is still a relatively uncommon practice in France but which is beginning to gain ground. The nap is widely practiced in China and this right has even been included in the Constitution since 1949. Ideal between 1 pm and 3 pm, it offers multiple benefits.
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Short naps to be preferred
First of all, there are several nap durations:
– Micro-naps, or flash naps, which last between 1 and 5 minutes.
– The nap of about 20 minutes.
– A nap lasting from one hour to one and a half hours, which corresponds to a sleep cycle.
– The 20-minute nap is the most effective. It doesn’t affect the night after. Made up of a slow and light sleep, it facilitates the easy return to its activities unlike the long nap. – The nap of more than an hour is to be privileged in the event of delay of sleep since it allows to have more deep slow sleep.
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Increased performance
The 20-minute nap between 1 and 3 p.m. lowers the level of stress hormones and helps muscle recovery. This pause time provides regulation in terms of cardiovascular protection with a decrease in arterial hypertension while strengthening the immune system.
Finally, the nap plays a significant role in the restructuring of neurons. Thus, it improves memory and concentration. Studies suggest that, thanks to these twenty minutes of rest, intellectual performance increases by 20%.
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Regularity
For the nap, the key is regularity. A long nap on the weekend is not enough to make up for five five to six hour nights on weekdays. Better to practice it daily in small doses. Studies published in the journal General Psychiatry show that naps improve mental agility for seniors and may therefore help prevent cognitive decline.
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