This is how power napping works!

With a power nap at midday we can recharge our batteries for the rest of the day in just a few minutes. Here you can find out why short naps improve our performance and how to implement short naps correctly.

Table of Contents

1. Tiredness during the day
   
2. What is a power nap?
3. How power napping works
4. The Power Nap Guide

5. Conclusion

1. Tiredness during the day

Rest breaks are important for the body and mind, which is why nightly sleep forms the most important basis for our health, our performance and our well-being. More and more people are not sleeping enough and, according to studies, one in two Germans already complains about problems falling asleep or staying asleep. The tiredness during the day usually doesn't take long to appear and is particularly noticeable in the famous "lunchtime slump". Time for a power nap!

 Here you can find more quick tips to combat tiredness during the day.

 

2. What is a power nap?

The power nap, in German “energy nap”, is a short sleep to recharge your batteries. However, this is not a real sleep, but rather a short nod away. Experts believe that a maximum of half an hour is the optimal duration for a restful short sleep. If you master the technique of power sleep, you will feel fresh and rested afterwards. The short sleep at midday can partially compensate for a lack of sleep at night and help reduce stress, strengthen the immune system and improve your mood. In this way, new energy can be collected and the midday performance low can be overcome. And in the long term, regular power napping makes us more relaxed and demonstrably less susceptible to illness. But be careful! All of this only works if a few rules are followed and the short nap does not turn into a full afternoon nap.

3. This is how power napping works

#1 The right environment

Actually, a power nap is possible anywhere. Because of the short sleep time, the right sleeping environment is definitely helpful in falling asleep quickly and being able to use the limited rest time effectively. It is therefore best to choose a quiet, undisturbed and pleasantly temperate place. Also make sure you have a comfortable lying or sitting sleeping position where you can put your head down and relax your body.

#2 The optimal duration

Short and sweet: According to experts, the perfect duration for a power nap is between 10 and 30 minutes. You should simply test out in practice which time is ideal for you personally. However, if we sleep for longer than 30 minutes, we slowly slip into deeper sleep phases and may wake up tired and not very refreshed. To make the nap worthwhile, it is recommended that you sleep for a short time and then get up quickly (without the snooze button!).

#3 Quick Relaxation

Falling asleep can be a challenge even when power napping, but because of the short sleep duration, rapid relaxation is required! So try to consciously calm down and clear your head. Various techniques or breathing exercises can help you quickly relax and your diet can also influence falling asleep, as you can read here.

4. The Power Nap Guide

5. Conclusion

• With the right technique, a power nap brings new energy, reduces stress and has a positive effect on health and well-being in the short and long term.

• A suitable sleeping environment promotes the effectiveness of short sleep. The best option is a quiet, undisturbed place with a pleasant temperature and a comfortable sleeping position that allows you to rest your head while lying or sitting.

• The optimal duration for a power nap is between 10 and 30 minutes. This is important so that waking up from a deep sleep phase (from 30 - 45 minutes of sleep) is avoided and the power nap retains its effect.

• Use relaxation techniques or breathing exercises to calm down before a nap and fall asleep faster.