A short nap can change your life

Don't you feel a little guilty about taking a nap?
If I'm at work, I might think, "People will think I'm slacking off..." and on the weekends, I might think, "If I sleep during the day, I won't be able to sleep at night..."

However, after looking at various studies recently, it seems that this way of thinking is outdated.

In fact, taking a nap is something you would be wasting if you didn't do it.
What's more, it's not just a break; in some cases it can be even more effective than a night's sleep .

In this article, we'll take a quick look at the amazing things about naps, along with five fun facts.
It's perfect for a quick read between work breaks, so please enjoy it while drinking coffee.

1. It's true that daytime naps are three times more effective than nighttime naps.

Do you think this title is a bit exaggerated?
However, when the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare conducted a serious investigation, they found that the group that took a 15-minute nap had significantly higher work efficiency than the group that did not take a nap .

Apparently, a short nap during the day is very effective for "concentration" and "brain function speed."

It is sometimes said that its effects are "three times as effective as a night's sleep."
Of course, this isn't necessarily true for everyone, but the sleepiness that hits you in the early afternoon can be a sign of a sudden onset of drowsiness.
If you can reset yourself completely by just sleeping for 15 minutes, don't you think it's worth it ?

2. NASA says, "Take a nap."

Next, let's talk about America.
Apparently NASA is encouraging pilots to take a 26-minute nap before a mission.

What's more, the nap resulted in an astonishing 34% increase in efficiency and a whopping 54% increase in attention span .

If the people who fly in space are doing it, shouldn't we on Earth just shut up and follow suit? LOL
Closing your eyes for 26 minutes in the afternoon might be much more beneficial for you tomorrow than staring at your smartphone.

3. People who take naps three times a week have a 37% lower risk of death

I thought this story was a bit far-fetched.
However, this was a proper study conducted jointly by Harvard University and the University of Athens in Greece, involving more than 20,000 people, with a follow-up period of six years.

the result…

People who napped three times a week had a 37% lower risk of death than those who didn't.

You might be tempted to ask, "Can a simple nap really change your survival rate that much?"
It seems that due to the relationship with blood pressure and stress hormones, the burden on the body is greatly reduced .

It's true that just taking a short nap can reduce irritability and improve your mood.
If this also reduces future health risks, then napping is now an investment.

4. Nappers' brains are 2.6 to 6.5 years younger

This is also a very impactful story.
A study conducted by the University College London (UCL) in the UK found that
If you compare the brains of people who take naps with those who don't...

Those who took naps experienced a slower brain atrophy of 2.6 to 6.5 years.

This means that even if you look the same age, your brain could be six years younger .

This is a pretty big difference.
When you consider that naps have a gradual effect on memory, judgment, and concentration, the benefits of naps are great.

If you think of those 15 to 20 minutes of your lunch as "insurance for your future self," doesn't your perspective change?

5. Coffee before a nap is the best

"I want to take a nap, but it's hard to wake up."
"I wake up feeling dazed and can't concentrate on my work."
For those people, I would like to introduce the concept of a caffeine nap .

This involves drinking a cup of coffee just before your nap and then going to sleep .
Research at Hiroshima University has shown that this method is the most effective for waking up feeling refreshed.

The key point is that it takes about 20 to 30 minutes for caffeine to have an effect on the brain after consumption.
In other words, the perfect flow is "drink → fall asleep immediately → wake up with the caffeine effect at its maximum!"

By the way, it seems that washing your face and getting some light are also effective.
When it comes to naps, there's a strategy not only for the time you sleep, but also for how you wake up .

Conclusion: Naps may not be slacking off, but preparation

Until now, I thought that naps were something you did because you were tired and had no choice.
But now, naps seem to be a conscious effort to improve performance.

Because,

• Improved work efficiency
• regaining concentration
• Reduced health risks
• Slows down brain aging
• Even better when combined with coffee

If I ask you, is there any reason why you don't sleep?

I think it's safe to say that "those who can take a nap are the ones who can do it."
If you find yourself feeling fuzzy while working in the afternoon, it's probably a sign that your brain needs a break.

Stop looking at your phone, drink some coffee, and close your eyes for 15 minutes.
I'm sure you'll say "thank you" afterwards.