FEATURE
The Value of the
POWER NAP Need to recharge?
Embrace the power nap to boost your memory, cognitive skills, creativity and energy level. With the pandemic in its third year – and as more of us continue to work from home – napping is having a moment. For many, a few quick minutes of shuteye during the day is an essential way to function at a high level. Whether or not you’re a fan of napping, there’s plenty of research that backs up the benefits of daytime dozing. One study, published in the journal Sleep, found that a mere 10-minute nap resulted in immediate increased alertness and a boost in cognitive performance that could last close to three hours. A Personality and Individual Differences study found that napping can also boost your mood, as researchers discovered that after a 60-minute midday nap, people were less impulsive and had higher tolerance levels for frustration. Businesses are paying attention. Companies like Google, Ben & Jerry’s, Uber and Zappos installed dedicated nap spaces for their employees to catch shuteye whenever they need an energy boost. And while sleeping on the job 28 Women2Women | Summer 2022
can seem irresponsible to some, a recent report shows that employees who consider themselves nappers were 18% more likely than non-nappers to say they had gotten a promotion in the past year. An October 2021 study commissioned by Plushbeds, a luxury bedding manufacturer, surveyed 1,000 Americans to investigate the napping habits of U.S. workers. Napping at work was more common than not, with more than two in three respondents saying they have napped at work. Gen Z was most likely to admit taking workplace naps at 80%, compared to 70% of Millennials. The same study found that nappers were more likely to be in managerial roles, and to have received a promotion in the last year versus non-nappers. 55% percent of nappers worked in a managerial role, compared to 41% of non-nappers. 53% percent of nappers had also received promotions in the last year, compared to 35% of non-nappers. There’s even more data to support the value of the power nap.
Naps and Sleep Deprivation Several studies have found that decreased levels of nocturnal sleep have been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer and colon cancer, and that not enough nighttime sleep can mess with the hormone that controls your appetite. If your body isn’t producing that hormone, then it doesn’t always know how to tell you when you’re full – and you keep eating. And whether you’re in the office or working from home, naps can be extremely beneficial to on-the-job performance. Short, 20-minute naps have been routinely demonstrated to improve attention, concentration, performance and alertness thus reducing accidents and mistakes . “Naps are a powerful way to treat sleep deprivation,” says Sara C. Mednick, PhD, sleep expert and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life. “You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping,” she explains. “You reset the
