Power nap

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A woman having a nap in a napping pod, in the cafe Nappuccino in Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain) Nappuccino cafe napping pods Barcelona.jpg
A woman having a nap in a napping pod, in the café Nappuccino in Barcelona, Catalonia (Spain)

A power nap or cat nap is a short sleep that terminates before deep sleep (slow-wave sleep; SWS). A power nap is intended to quickly revitalize the sleeper.

Contents

Cornell University social psychologist James Maas coined the term. [1] A power nap combined with consuming caffeine is called a stimulant nap, coffee nap, caffeine nap, or nappuccino. [2]

Characteristics

A power nap, also known as a Stage 2 nap, is a short slumber of 20 minutes or less which terminates before the occurrence of deep slow-wave sleep, intended to quickly revitalize the napper. The expression "power nap" was coined by Cornell University social psychologist James Maas. [3]

The 20-minute nap increases alertness and motor skills. [3] Various durations may be recommended for power naps, which are short compared to regular sleep. The short duration prevents nappers from sleeping so long that they enter the slow wave portion of the normal sleep cycle without being able to complete the cycle. Entering deep, slow-wave sleep and failing to complete the normal sleep cycle, can result in a phenomenon known as sleep inertia, where one feels groggy, disoriented, and even sleepier than before beginning the nap. In order to attain optimal post-nap performance, a Stage 2 nap must be limited to the beginning of a sleep cycle, specifically sleep stages N1 and N2, typically 18–25 minutes.

Experimental confirmation of the benefits of this brief nap comes from a Flinders University study in Australia in which 5, 10, 20, or 30-minute periods of sleep were given. The greatest immediate improvement in measures of alertness and cognitive performance came after the 10 minutes of sleep. The 20 and 30-minute periods of sleep showed evidence of sleep inertia immediately after the naps and improvements in alertness more than 30 minutes later, but not to a greater level than after the 10 minutes of sleep. [4] Power naps are effective even when schedules allow a full night's sleep. [5]

Research

Potential benefits

Power naps intend to restore alertness, performance, and learning ability. [6] [7] A nap may also reverse the hormonal impact of a night of poor sleep or reverse the damage of sleep deprivation. [8] A University of Düsseldorf study found superior memory recall once a person had reached 6 minutes of sleep, suggesting that the onset of sleep may initiate active memory processes of consolidation which—once triggered—remains effective even if sleep is terminated. [7]

According to clinical studies among men and women, power nappers of any frequency or duration had a significantly lower mortality ratio due to heart disease than those not napping. Specifically, those occasionally napping had a 12% lower coronary mortality, whereas those systematically napping had a 37% lower coronary mortality. [9]

A Flinders University study of individuals restricted to only five hours of sleep per night found a 10-minute nap was overall the most recuperative nap duration of various nap lengths they examined (lengths of 0 min, 5 min, 10 min, 20 min, and 30 minutes): the 5-minute nap produced few benefits in comparison with the no-nap control; the 10-minute nap produced immediate improvements in all outcome measures (including sleep onset latency, subjective sleepiness, fatigue, vigor, and cognitive performance), with some of these benefits maintained for as long as 155 minutes; the 20-minute nap was associated with improvements emerging 35 minutes after napping and lasting up to 125 minutes after napping; and the 30-minute nap produced a period of impaired alertness and performance immediately after napping, indicative of sleep inertia, followed by improvements lasting up to 155 minutes after the nap. [10]

The NASA Ames Fatigue Countermeasures Group studied the effects of sleep loss and jet lag, and conducts training to counter these effects. A major fatigue countermeasures recommendation consists of a 40-minute nap ("NASA nap") which empirically showed to improve flight crew performance and alertness with a 22% statistical risk of entering SWS. [11]

For several years, scientists have been investigating the benefits of napping, both the power nap and much longer sleep durations as long as 1–2 hours. Performance across a wide range of cognitive processes has been tested. [11] Studies demonstrate that naps are as good as a night of sleep for some types of memory tasks.

A NASA study led by David F. Dinges, professor at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, found that naps can improve certain memory functions. [12] In that NASA study, volunteers spent several days living on one of 18 different sleep schedules, all in a laboratory setting. To measure the effectiveness of the naps, tests probing memory, alertness, response time, and other cognitive skills were used.

Power Napping Enablers and sleep timers allow properly timed power napping.

One study showed that a midday snooze reverses information overload. Reporting in Nature Neuroscience , Sara Mednick, PhD, Stickgold and colleagues also demonstrated that "burnout" irritation, frustration and poorer performance on a mental task can set in as a day of training wears on. This study also proved that, in some cases, napping could even boost performance to an individual's top levels. The NIMH team wrote: "The bottom line is: we should stop feeling guilty about taking that 'power nap' at work." [13]

Potential risks and detriments

Longer and more frequent daytime naps appeared to be associated with a higher risk of Alzheimer's dementia in a study that tracked 1401 older people over 14 years. [14] [15] Links have also been proposed between these types of naps and cardiovascular disease, though the evidence is largely inconclusive. A series of studies by the medical journal Sleep demonstrated that people who nap for an hour or more a day had 1.82 times the rate of cardiovascular disease than people who didn't nap. [16] [17]

Stimulant nap

A coffee nap is drinking a cup of coffee before a short 15-minute nap. Coffe time.jpg
A coffee nap is drinking a cup of coffee before a short 15-minute nap.

A stimulant nap is a brief period of sleep of around 15 minutes, preceded by consuming a caffeinated drink or another stimulant.

It may combat daytime drowsiness more effectively than napping or drinking coffee alone. [2] [18] [19] A stimulant nap is more effective than regular naps in improving post-nap alertness and cognitive functioning. [20] [21] In a driving simulator and a series of studies, Horne and Reyner investigated the effects of cold air, radio, a break with no nap, a nap, caffeine pill vs. placebo and a short nap preceded by caffeine on mildly sleep-deprived subjects. A nap with caffeine was by far the most effective in reducing driving accidents and subjective sleepiness as it helps the body get rid of the sleep-inducing chemical compound adenosine. [22] [ unreliable source? ] Caffeine in coffee takes up to half an hour to have an alerting effect, hence "a short (<15min) nap will not be compromised if it is taken immediately after the coffee." [23] [24] [25] One account suggested that it was like a "double shot of energy" from the stimulating boost from caffeine plus better alertness from napping. [2] This procedure has been studied on sleep-deprived humans given the task of driving a motor vehicle afterwards, [26] although it has not been studied on elderly populations. [27]

Nap rooms and tech aided naps

EnergyPod, a sleeping pod, located in a small nap room of the Olin library at Wesleyan University EnergyPod at Wesleyan University.jpg
EnergyPod, a sleeping pod, located in a small nap room of the Olin library at Wesleyan University

Some companies have nap rooms to allow employees to take power naps. This may be in a form of a nap room with a recliner, or chairs specially designed for power napping installed in a designated area. Companies with nap rooms say that employees are happier and become more productive at work. [29]

Similar nap rooms and stations also exist in higher education institutions. Many colleges and universities provide napping furnitures such as cots and giant bean bags in libraries for students to take naps after long periods of study. At least one university[ which? ] has a nap room set up in a gym. Some medical schools also set up nap rooms at teaching hospitals. The nap rooms may include sleeping pods or cots, white noise machines, and antimicrobial pillows. [30]

In Barcelona, there is a café called Nappuccino [31] [32] that implements custom-built napping pods inside the café.

A more portable aid is a nap timer app. Apps have various features including aided sounds, nap history and pattern tracking and daily reminders that make it easier to take naps.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Caffeine</span> Central nervous system stimulant

Caffeine is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant of the methylxanthine class. It is mainly used as a eugeroic (wakefulness promoter) or as a mild cognitive enhancer to increase alertness and attentional performance. Caffeine acts by blocking binding of adenosine to the adenosine A1 receptor, which enhances release of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine. Caffeine has a three-dimensional structure similar to that of adenosine, which allows it to bind and block its receptors. Caffeine also increases cyclic AMP levels through nonselective inhibition of phosphodiesterase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep</span> Naturally recurring resting state of mind and body

Sleep is a state of reduced mental and physical activity in which consciousness is altered and certain sensory activity is inhibited. During sleep, there is a marked decrease in muscle activity and interactions with the surrounding environment. While sleep differs from wakefulness in terms of the ability to react to stimuli, it still involves active brain patterns, making it more reactive than a coma or disorders of consciousness.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stimulant</span> Drug that increases activity of central nervous system

Stimulants are a class of drugs that increase the activity of the brain and the spinal cord. They are used for various purposes, such as enhancing alertness, attention, motivation, cognition, mood, and physical performance. Some of the most common stimulants are caffeine, nicotine, amphetamines, cocaine, and modafinil.

Polyphasic sleep is the practice of sleeping during multiple periods over the course of 24 hours, in contrast to monophasic sleep, which is one period of sleep within 24 hours. Biphasicsleep refers to two periods, while polyphasic usually means more than two. Segmented sleep and divided sleep may refer to polyphasic or biphasic sleep, but may also refer to interrupted sleep, where the sleep has one or several shorter periods of wakefulness, as was the norm for night sleep in pre-industrial societies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nootropic</span> Compound intended to improve cognitive function

Nootropics, colloquially brain supplements, smart drugs and cognitive enhancers, are natural, semisynthetic or synthetic compounds which purportedly improve cognitive functions, such as executive functions, attention or memory.

A microsleep is a sudden temporary episode of sleep or drowsiness which may last for a few seconds where an individual fails to respond to some arbitrary sensory input and becomes unconscious. Episodes of microsleep occur when an individual loses and regains awareness after a brief lapse in consciousness, often without warning, or when there are sudden shifts between states of wakefulness and sleep. In behavioural terms, MSs may manifest as droopy eyes, slow eyelid-closure, and head nodding. In electrical terms, microsleeps are often classified as a shift in electroencephalography (EEG) during which 4–7 Hz activity replaces the waking 8–13 Hz background rhythm.

Shift work is an employment practice designed to keep a service or production line operational at all times. The practice typically sees the day divided into shifts, set periods of time during which different groups of workers perform their duties. The term "shift work" includes both long-term night shifts and work schedules in which employees change or rotate shifts.

Sleep inertia is a physiological state of impaired cognitive and sensory-motor performance that is present immediately after awakening. It persists during the transition of sleep to wakefulness, where an individual will experience feelings of drowsiness, disorientation and a decline in motor dexterity. Impairment from sleep inertia may take several hours to dissipate. In the majority of cases, morning sleep inertia is experienced for 15 to 30 minutes after waking.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep hygiene</span> Set of practices around healthy sleeping

Sleep hygiene is a behavioral and environmental practice developed in the late 1970s as a method to help people with mild to moderate insomnia. Clinicians assess the sleep hygiene of people with insomnia and other conditions, such as depression, and offer recommendations based on the assessment. Sleep hygiene recommendations include: establishing a regular sleep schedule; using naps with care; not exercising physically or mentally too close to bedtime; limiting worry; limiting exposure to light in the hours before sleep; getting out of bed if sleep does not come; not using bed for anything but sleep and sex; avoiding alcohol as well as nicotine, caffeine, and other stimulants in the hours before bedtime; and having a peaceful, comfortable and dark sleep environment. However, as of 2021, the empirical evidence for the effectiveness of sleep hygiene is "limited and inconclusive" for the general population and for the treatment of insomnia, despite being the oldest treatment for insomnia. A systematic review by the AASM concluded that clinicians should not prescribe sleep hygiene for insomnia due to the evidence of absence of its efficacy and potential delaying of adequate treatment, recommending instead that effective therapies such as CBT-i should be preferred.

The Multiple Sleep Latency Test (MSLT) is a sleep disorder diagnostic tool. It is used to measure the time elapsed from the start of a daytime nap period to the first signs of sleep, called sleep latency. The test is based on the idea that the sleepier people are, the faster they will fall asleep.

Shift work sleep disorder (SWSD) is a circadian rhythm sleep disorder characterized by insomnia, excessive sleepiness, or both affecting people whose work hours overlap with the typical sleep period. Insomnia can be the difficulty to fall asleep or to wake up before the individual has slept enough. About 20% of the working population participates in shift work. SWSD commonly goes undiagnosed, so it's estimated that 10–40% of shift workers have SWSD. The excessive sleepiness appears when the individual has to be productive, awake and alert. Both symptoms are predominant in SWSD. There are numerous shift work schedules, and they may be permanent, intermittent, or rotating; consequently, the manifestations of SWSD are quite variable. Most people with different schedules than the ordinary one might have these symptoms but the difference is that SWSD is continual, long-term, and starts to interfere with the individual's life.

Alertness is a state of active attention characterized by high sensory awareness. Someone who is alert is vigilant and promptly meets danger or emergency, or is quick to perceive and act. Alertness is a psychological and physiological state.

Caffeine-induced sleep disorder is a psychiatric disorder that results from overconsumption of the stimulant caffeine. Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed psychoactive drugs: almost 90% of Americans in a survey consume some type of caffeine each day. "When caffeine is consumed immediately before bedtime or .... throughout the day, sleep onset may be delayed, total sleep time reduced, normal stages of sleep altered, and the quality of sleep decreased." Caffeine reduces slow-wave sleep in the early part of the sleep cycle and can reduce rapid eye movement sleep later in the cycle. Caffeine increases episodes of wakefulness, and high doses in the late evening can increase sleep onset latency. In elderly people, there is an association between use of medication containing caffeine and difficulty in falling asleep.

Sara C. Mednick is a sleep researcher at the University of California, Irvine. Her research focuses on the relationship between napping and performance. She is the author of several papers and a mass market book, Take a Nap! Change Your Life. She graduated with her PhD in psychology from Harvard University studying under Ken Nakayama and Robert Stickgold.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep deprivation</span> Condition of not having enough sleep

Sleep deprivation, also known as sleep insufficiency or sleeplessness, is the condition of not having adequate duration and/or quality of sleep to support decent alertness, performance, and health. It can be either chronic or acute and may vary widely in severity. All known animals sleep or exhibit some form of sleep behavior, and the importance of sleep is self-evident for humans, as nearly a third of a person's life is spent sleeping.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Narcolepsy</span> Human sleep disorder that involves an excessive urge to sleep and other neurological features

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that involves a decreased ability to regulate sleep–wake cycles. Symptoms often include periods of excessive daytime sleepiness and brief involuntary sleep episodes. Narcolepsy paired with cataplexy is evidenced to be an autoimmune disorder. These experiences of cataplexy can be brought on by strong emotions. Less commonly, there may be vivid hallucinations or an inability to move while falling asleep or waking up. People with narcolepsy tend to sleep about the same number of hours per day as people without it, but the quality of sleep tends to be lessened.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nap</span> Short period of sleep during typical waking hours

A nap is a short period of sleep, typically taken during daytime hours as an adjunct to the usual nocturnal sleep period. Naps are most often taken as a response to drowsiness during waking hours. A nap is a form of biphasic or polyphasic sleep, where the latter terms also include longer periods of sleep in addition to one period. For years, scientists have been investigating the benefits of napping, including the 30-minute nap as well as sleep durations of 1–2 hours. Performance across a wide range of cognitive processes has been tested.

Idiopathic hypersomnia(IH) is a neurological disorder which is characterized primarily by excessive sleep and excessive daytime sleepiness (EDS). The condition typically becomes evident in early adulthood and most patients diagnosed with IH will have had the disorder for many years prior to their diagnosis. As of August 2021, an FDA-approved medication exists for IH called Xywav, which is oral solution of calcium, magnesium, potassium, and sodium oxybates; in addition to several off-label treatments (primarily FDA-approved narcolepsy medications).

Neuroenhancement or cognitive enhancement is the experimental use of pharmacological or non-pharmacological methods intended to improve cognitive and affective abilities in healthy people who do not have a mental illness. Agents or methods of neuroenhancement are intended to affect cognitive, social, psychological, mood, or motor benefits beyond normal functioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleep deprivation in higher education</span> Health issue in students

Sleep deprivation – the condition of not having enough sleep – is a common health issue for students in higher education. This issue has several underlying and negative consequences, but there are a few helpful improvements that students can make to reduce its frequency and severity.

References

  1. ↑ Maas, James B.; Wherry, Megan L. (1998). Miracle Sleep Cure: The Key to a Long Life of Peak Performance. London: Thorsons. ISBN   978-0-7225-3644-5.[ page needed ][ non-primary source needed ]
  2. 1 2 3 Naomi Imatome Yun, World Lifestyle, Get a Jolt with the “Caffeine Nap”, Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, "Napuccino... Longborough University scientists have found out that having caffeine before a short nap boosts alertness...
  3. 1 2 Mednick, Sara C.; Mark Ehrman (2006). Take a Nap! Change Your Life (First ed.). New York, NY, USA: Workman Publishing. ISBN   978-0-7611-4290-4.
  4. ↑ Brooks, A; Lack, L. (2006). "A brief afternoon nap following nocturnal sleep restriction: which nap duration is most recuperative?". Sleep. 29 (6): 831–840. doi: 10.1093/sleep/29.6.831 . PMID   16796222 . Retrieved 18 April 2015.
  5. ↑ Hayashi, Mitsuo; Hori, Tadao (1 April 1998). "The effects of a 20-min nap before post-lunch dip". Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences. 52 (2): 203–204. doi:10.1111/j.1440-1819.1998.tb01031.x. PMID   9628152. S2CID   14147227.
  6. ↑ Dhand, Rajiv; Sohal, Harjyot (2007). "Good sleep, bad sleep! The role of daytime naps in healthy adults". Current Opinion in Internal Medicine. 6 (6): 91–94. doi:10.1097/01.mcp.0000245703.92311.d0. PMID   17053484. S2CID   30067543.
  7. 1 2 Lahl, Olaf; Wispel, Christiane; Willigens, Bernadette; Pietrowsky, Reinhard (2008). "An ultra short episode of sleep is sufficient to promote declarative memory performance". Journal of Sleep Research. 17 (1): 3–10. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.2008.00622.x . PMID   18275549. S2CID   12623878.
  8. ↑ "Napping may be able to reverse the damage of sleep deprivation". sciencealert. Retrieved 10 February 2015.
  9. ↑ Naska, Androniki (2007-02-12). "Siesta in Healthy Adults and Coronary Mortality in the General Population". Archives of Internal Medicine. 167 (3): 296–301. doi: 10.1001/archinte.167.3.296 . ISSN   0003-9926. PMID   17296887.
  10. ↑ Brooks, A; Lack, L (2006). "A brief afternoon nap following nocturnal sleep restriction: Which nap duration is most recuperative?". Sleep. 29 (6): 831–40. doi: 10.1093/sleep/29.6.831 . PMID   16796222.
  11. 1 2 "NASA: Alertness Management: Strategic Naps in Operational Settings". 1995. Archived from the original on 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2012-04-16.
  12. ↑ Mollicone, Daniel J.; Van Dongen, Hans P.A.; Dinges, David F. (2007). "Optimizing sleep/wake schedules in space: Sleep during chronic nocturnal sleep restriction with and without diurnal naps". Acta Astronautica. 60 (4–7): 354. Bibcode:2007AcAau..60..354M. doi:10.1016/j.actaastro.2006.09.022.
  13. ↑ "The National Institute of Mental Health Power Nap Study". 2002-07-01. Archived from the original on 2002-08-02. Retrieved 2002-07-01.
  14. ↑ "Long naps may be early sign of Alzheimer's disease, study shows". The Guardian. 17 March 2022. Retrieved 18 April 2022.
  15. ↑ Li, Peng; Gao, Lei; Yu, Lei; Zheng, Xi; Ulsa, Ma Cherrysse; Yang, Hui-Wen; Gaba, Arlen; Yaffe, Kristine; Bennett, David A.; Buchman, Aron S.; Hu, Kun; Leng, Yue (17 March 2022). "Daytime napping and Alzheimer's dementia: A potential bidirectional relationship". Alzheimer's & Dementia. 19 (1): 158–168. doi:10.1002/alz.12636. ISSN   1552-5260. PMC   9481741 . PMID   35297533.
  16. ↑ Precker, Michael (July 22, 2020). "Enjoy your nap, but be aware of the pros and cons". American Heart Association.
  17. ↑ Yamada, Tomohide; Hara, Kazuo; Shojima, Nobuhiro; Yamauchi, Toshimasa; Kadowaki, Takashi (December 1, 2015). "Daytime Napping and the Risk of Cardiovascular Disease and All-Cause Mortality: A Prospective Study and Dose-Response Meta-Analysis". Sleep. 38 (12): 1945–1953. doi:10.5665/sleep.5246. PMC   4667384 . PMID   26158892.
  18. ↑ The Editors of Prevention, Prevention magazine, 6 Good Health Habits Made Better, Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, "...1. Take a "caffeine nap"..."
  19. ↑ An Unashamed Defense of Coffee, Authors: Roseane M. Santos, Roseane M. Santos, M.Sc., Ph.D. & Darcy R. Lima, M.D., Ph.D., Darcy R. Lima, Xlibris Corporation publishers, 2009, , Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, (see page 66), "...researchers found worked best was a Caffeine Nap..."
  20. ↑ ANAHAD O'CONNOR OCTOBER 31, 2011, The New York Times, Really? The Claim: For a More Restful Nap, Avoid Caffeine, Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, "...sleep researchers in England found that drinking a cup of coffee and then immediately taking a 15-minute nap was even more effective....
  21. ↑ Rose Eveleth, Smithsonian magazine, OCTOBER 24, 2013, What Is the Exactly Perfect Time to Drink Your Coffee? It's a good thing that science is here to figure out the exact perfect way to drink a cup of coffee, Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, "...taking a 15 minute (no longer) nap right after you chug your coffee..."
  22. ↑ Corrie Pikul, 02/27/2012, Oprah magazine, 6 More Health Myths—Busted!, Retrieved Aug. 29, 2014, "...Drinking a cup of coffee and then immediately snoozing for 15 minutes was more effective at reviving a wiped-out person.."
  23. ↑ Reyner, LA; Horne, JA (1998). "Evaluation 'in-car' countermeasures to sleepiness: Cold air and radio". Sleep. 21 (1): 46–50. PMID   9485532.
  24. ↑ Horne, J. A.; Reyner, L. A. (1995). "Driver sleepiness". Journal of Sleep Research. 4 (S2): 23–29. doi: 10.1111/j.1365-2869.1995.tb00222.x . PMID   10607207. S2CID   45193968.
  25. ↑ "Loughborough University researchers issue new warning to tired drivers" . Retrieved 2007-09-23.
  26. ↑ Reyner, L. A; Horne, J. A (1997). "Suppression of sleepiness in drivers: Combination of caffeine with a short nap". Psychophysiology. 34 (6): 721–5. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1997.tb02148.x. PMID   9401427.
  27. ↑ Wan, J; Lau, E; Lee, T (2013). "The effect of caffeine nap on declarative and procedural memory in elderly". Sleep Medicine. 14: e309. doi:10.1016/j.sleep.2013.11.758.
  28. ↑ Schwartz, Meredith (24 October 2012). "Napping in the Library—On Purpose". Library Journal. Retrieved 24 February 2015.
  29. ↑ Stump, Scott (15 March 2013). "'Nap rooms' encourage sleeping on the job to boost productivity". TODAY Money. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  30. ↑ Waxman, Olivia B. (29 August 2014). "Napping Around: Colleges Provide Campus Snooze Rooms". TIME. Retrieved 23 February 2015.
  31. ↑ Romero, Shantal (18 June 2019) "Nappuccino: Conoce el primer café en el mundo en donde puedes dormir". RSVP
  32. ↑ (16 March 2019)"Télématin France 2 TV". FRANCE 2 TV 2h27min

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