This is how power napping works!

With a power nap at midday, we can recharge our batteries for the rest of the day in just a few minutes. Here you can find out why the short nap improves our performance and how to implement the short sleep correctly.

Table of Contents

1. Fatigue during the day
   
2. What is a power nap?
3. This is how power napping works
4. The Power Nap Guide

5. Conclusion

1. Tiredness during the day

Rest breaks are important for body and mind, so nightly sleep is the most important basis for our health, our performance and our well-being. More and more people are sleeping too little and according to studies, every second German is already complaining about problems falling asleep or staying asleep. The fatigue on day is usually not long in coming and is particularly evident in the famous "midday slump". Time for a power nap!

Here you will find more quick tips against tiredness during the day.

2. What is a power nap?

The power nap, in English "energy nap", is a short sleep to recharge your batteries. However, this is not really sleeping, but rather a short nod. Experts believe that a maximum of half an hour is the optimal duration for a restful short sleep. If you master the technique of power sleep, you will feel fresh and rested afterwards. Because the short sleep at midday can partially compensate for a lack of sleep at night and help to reduce stress, strengthen the immune system and lift the mood. In this way, new energy can be collected and the performance slump at midday can be overcome. And in the long run, regular power napping also makes us more relaxed and demonstrably less susceptible to illness. But watch out! All this only works if a few rules are observed and the short nap does not turn into a solid afternoon nap.

3. This is how power napping

works

#1 The right environment

Actually, a power nap is possible anywhere. Because of the short time spent sleeping, the right sleeping environment is definitely helpful in order to fall asleep quickly and to be able to use the limited rest time effectively. It is therefore best to choose a quiet, undisturbed place with a pleasant temperature. Also make sure you sleep in a comfortable lying or sitting position where you can put your head down and relax your body.

#2 The optimal duration

Short and sweet: According to experts, the perfect duration for a power nap is between 10 and 30 minutes. You should simply try out in practice which time is ideal for you personally. However, if we sleep for more than 30 minutes, we slowly slide into deeper sleep phases and may wake up tired and not fully recovered. So that the nap is worthwhile, it is advisable to sleep for a short time and then get up quickly (without the snooze button!).

#3 Rapid Relaxation

Falling asleep can also be a challenge with power napping, but due to the short duration of sleep, rapid relaxation is required! So try to consciously calm down and clear your head. Various techniques or breathing exercises can help you quickly relax and your diet can also influence falling asleep, as you can read here.

4. The Power Nap Guide

5. Conclusion

• With the right technique, a power nap brings new energy, reduces stress and has a positive effect on health and well-being in the short and long term.

• A suitable sleeping environment promotes the effectiveness of short sleep. A quiet, undisturbed place with a pleasant temperature and a comfortable sleeping position that allows you to rest your head while lying or sitting is best.

• The optimal duration for a power nap is between 10 and 30 minutes. This is important to avoid waking up from a deep sleep phase (from 30 - 45 minutes of sleep) and to ensure that the power nap maintains its effect.

• Use relaxation techniques or breathing exercises to calm yourself down before your nap and fall asleep faster.