The 3 psychological benefits of napping

Adaptation to modern life throughout history has made humans lose the habit of being polyphasic as far as sleep is concerned. In fact, there seems to be evidence that, like the rest of the animal kingdom, primitive man also alternated sleep and wake cycles throughout the day.

There are many studies that seem to indicate that take a nap after eating it brings many benefits to health and mind. Therefore, napping will have a beneficial effect on your well-being and it can increase your alertness, your concentration or your productivity.

Psychological benefits of napping: discovering the art of 'napping'

As we could already read in the article "7 psychological signs that you are not getting enough sleep"Sleep is absolutely essential for good health.

Since much research shows that napping can lead to improved psychological well-being, some companies like Google, Nike, AOL or The New York Times give their employees time so that they can nap in the office with the maximum comfort. Napping ('nap' in English) helps to regain energy and be in better spirits. Companies that have adopted the "siesta culture" have armchairs or even beds where you can rest for a while.

The historical origin of the siesta

For some connoisseurs of the subject, the siesta has its origin in the 11th century and comes from one of the rules of the order monastic of San Benito: rest and tranquility at the sixth hour (canon), which was the period of time between twelve and the three. This rule made reference to the religious having to lie down in total silence to rest and regain energy for the rest of the day. That is where the word "sexting" or "saving the sixth" originated. Over time, this custom spread and was adopted in other monasteries and the population in general. Although it seems that it is only a Spanish tradition, the siesta is also present in parts of southern Europe and Latin America, in China, Taiwan, the Philippines or India.

The nap also seems to have a physiological origin, since it is a natural consequence of the drop in blood after large meals, which causes drowsiness.

Next we are going to discover exactly what are the two beneficial effects of taking a nap for our mental health.

1. Improve memory

The University of Haifa (Israel) and the Sleep Laboratory of the Sheba Medical Center (Tel Aviv) demonstrated that the siesta contributes memory benefits. This study, in collaboration with researchers from the Department of Psychology of the University of Montreal (Canada), concluded that the siesta has an important function in the consolidation of memory and the learning.

2. Increase your ability to learn

Complementing the positive effects on your memory, taking a nap also has positive effects on learning ability. The University of California provided evidence that by resting the mind during naps, we are helping our brain to learn more things after waking up.

Along the same lines, research carried out by Harvard Universities and New York University found that taking a short nap significantly improves memory and learning, but also has a positive effect on humor.

3. Nap and work better

According to NASA studies, taking a nap improves alertness, performance, reduces errors and accidents at work. In this study, carried out on its pilots and astronauts, it was found that a 26-minute nap is capable of increasing performance by up to 35% and alertness level by 55%.

If the "nap" is 40 minutes, it improves alertness by up to 100%. Attention and reaction time also appear to benefit from napping according to a study by Kimberly Cote, a professor and neuropsychologist at Brock University. According to his study, people who do not make use of this "moment of relaxation", they may feel more fatigued, have a higher chance of making poor decisions, and a higher risk of workplace accidents. Naps can increase alertness in the period immediately after nap, and this state can extend into a few hours later in the day.

Some tips for a good nap

• The ideal is a short nap, of about 20 or 30 minutes. This time is enough to benefit from better alertness and higher performance without feeling groggy.

• To prevent naps from affecting sleep patterns during the night and to avoid complications when falling asleep at night, it is preferable not to nap too much late in the day.

• Taking care of the environment at the time of napping will greatly affect the moment of rest and the ability to fall asleep. To make the most of this time, you have to find a comfortable place, with little light, without noise and with a comfortable temperature.