What are the types of Naps?
The way you feel after a nap depends mainly on the length of time. If the nap is short, you will feel more refreshed and strengthened. If it is long, you feel more tired and sleepier. For this reason, it is important to always sleep for a short time during the day.
Short naps
Short naps are also called “power naps.” As stated earlier, you only need 20-25 minutes of nap to feel rested and refreshed. Short naps will help boost:
- Cognition [1]
- Perceptual learning
- Memory and information retention
- Athletic performance
It would help to know that 20-25 minutes of sleep is enough to experience an improved sleep pattern and regain any lost energy. It is also a light sleep, so it is easy to wake up from. You can set an alarm to avoid sleeping longer. Studies show that taking a deep nap can result in you feeling unstabilized, cranky, and more fatigued. However, light sleep can enhance your memory and learning ability. It is not a problem if your nap duration is less than 20-25 minutes. Any duration less than 25 minutes is still effective. In some cases, you might not fall asleep immediately if you lie down. When this occurs, it means you are not tired enough to fall asleep.