What's in a nap?
August 15, 2008
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In designing the optimal nap, you need to grasp its potential components. During sleep, your brain's electrical activity goes through a five-phase cycle:
STAGE 1: FALLING ASLEEP
A short afternoon catnap of 20 minutes yields mostly light sleep,
which enhances alertness and concentration, elevates mood and sharpens
motor skills. To boost alertness on waking, drink coffee before you
nap. The caffeine will kick in just as you're waking. Naps of up to 45
minutes may also include rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, which boosts
creative thinking and sensory processing.
STAGE 2: LIGHT SLEEP
Limit your nap to 45 minutes or less if you need to spring into
action after dozing. Otherwise, you may drift into slow-wave sleep.
Waking from this stage results in serious sleep inertia, that feeling
of grogginess and disorientation that can last for a half hour or more.
STAGES 3 AND 4: DEEP, SLOW-WAVE SLEEP
But you might want to take a long nap, at least 90 minutes. Many of
us get about 1 to 1 1/2 hours less sleep per night than we need. A new
study shows that the sleep-deprived brain toggles between normal
activity and complete lapses, or failures – a dangerous state of slowed
responses and foggy inattention. Sound familiar?
REM: DREAMING STAGE
Naps of 90 to 120 minutes usually comprise all stages, including REM
and deep slow-wave sleep, which helps to clear your mind, improve
memory recall and recoup lost sleep. Longer naps in the morning yield
more REM sleep, while those in the afternoon offer more slow-wave sleep.
Toronto Star
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