Power Naps | power nap
Unlessyouliveinoneofthe(lucky)countrieswheremiddaysiestasarethenorm,youprobablyaren’tusedtotakinganafternoonnap.Butitmaybetimetostart.Youcanreapseveralbenefitsfromashortpowernap,sayspulmonologistandsleepapneaspecialistSamuelGurevich,MD[1].Buttheyaren’tforeveryone.Findoutwhatmakesanapa“powernap”—andwhetheritcouldgiveyouthemiddayboostyou’recraving.Whatisapowernap?Powernapsareshortandsweet,Dr.Gurevichexplains,takingadvantageofournaturalsleepcycles[2].Wemovethroughseveraldifferentphasesofsleep—s...
Unless you live in one of the (lucky) countries where midday siestas are the norm, you probably aren’t used to taking an afternoon nap. But it may be time to start.
You can reap several benefits from a short power nap, says pulmonologist and sleep apnea specialist Samuel Gurevich, MD[1]. But they aren’t for everyone. Find out what makes a nap a “power nap” — and whether it could give you the midday boost you’re craving.
What is a power nap?Power naps are short and sweet, Dr. Gurevich explains, taking advantage of our natural sleep cycles[2]. We move through several different phases of sleep — some light, some deep. A full sleep cycle typically lasts about 90 minutes.