Feeling rundown by the end of your workday? A power nap might be the ticket. Writer Melanie Pinola, in a recent feature for the Lifehacker Web site, covered the benefits that short naps can have for workers struggling to make it through the workday. You might be able to use Pinola’s research to argue for your very own workday snoozes.
10 to 20 Minutes
A power nap of 10 to 20 minutes can supply you with a boost in alertness and energy, Pinola writes. And because this is a lighter nap, you can more easily jump back into action once this snooze is over.
Not Short Enough, Not Long Enough
A 30-minute nap, though, may well be a mistake. That’s because it’s neither long nor short enough. When you sleep for 30 minutes, you’ll awake up groggy. Also it might take you another 30 minutes to shake away the haziness.
60 Minutes
The ideal nap period might really be 60 minutes. Pinola said that a nap of this length would considerably boost your energy and brainpower. It might not be easy, though, to convince your boss that those 60 minutes spent with your eyes closed were actually productive.