FROM SIESTA TO POWER NAP

First of all: a siesta is not the same as a power nap. Originated in southern countries, where just after noon it's simply too hot to be active, the phenomenon has spread somewhat to our regions.  

In reality, however, those 2 to 3 hours are more about having a nice meal and then doing nothing for a while. A power nap, on the other hand, is in principle short but powerful and has the aim to give you an energy boost.

NAP WITH EFFECT

We can already hear you thinking, "I don't have time for this." But maybe you're wrong. After all, our society is so performance-oriented that we feel guilty if we don't do anything useful for a quarter of an hour. However, a power nap can be useful ...

Going to sleep for 15 to 20 minutes improves your concentration, your memory and your immune system. This has already been proven in NASA research. The trick lies in the time it takes. ​ ​​ 

Waking up sleepy, listless, even disoriented... you know about that. That doesn't necessarily mean you didn't sleep well. It usually means you woke up in the wrong sleep phase. Just as for a good night's sleep, so for a power nap you should get up in a phase of light sleep. Only then do you experience the energy boost.

3 POWER NAPS = 1 NIGHT'S SLEEP?

Catching up on sleep with power naps during the day? Unfortunately this is not realistic. Although it does give you more energy, a power nap (or three) never replaces a good night's sleep. At night you simply sleep deeper and more efficiently. So consider a short nap as a stopgap, not a remedy for a structural sleep deprivation. Are you tired day after day or do you suffer from insomnia? Then perhaps something is wrong, for example a sleep disorder. Your doctor will be happy to help you.

What do you think? Will you start taking a power nap once in a while?