During the ever-busy work week, many people find themselves lacking enough sleep. When we get home from work each day, oftentimes after a long commute, there’s nearly always something that needs to be done, and many times we have to stay up later than we’d like to finish. Couple that with having to wake up early in the morning once again for work, and it’s no wonder we’re always tired.
So what’s a modern Filipina to do when she finds herself lacking sleep? Here’s what: take a nap! It might seem a bit crazy to take a nap while at work, but there are many scientifically backed reasons proving that it’s good for you. Here are 5 reasons why you should dedicate some of your break time each day to taking a nap.
1) It increases your alertness.
You don’t do as good of a job if you’re not alert, that’s just fact. While the simple solution might seem to be turning to caffeine, research has proven that a 20-minute nap increases alertness more than 200 mg of caffeine. The average cup of coffee contains less than 100 mg of caffeine, so taking a 20-minute nap on your lunch break will do you more good than drinking 2 cups of coffee!
2) It prevents you from getting burnt out.
Work is stressful; that’s why it’s called work and not play. On a busy day, it is far too easy to get overstressed and burnt out, and sometimes the pressure is just too much. So, what should you do? Take a nap! Our bodies are not meant to just be on the go all the time, and a short nap during the work day will energize you and keep you from getting overwhelmed with the day’s tasks.
3) It keeps you productive.
You’ve probably realized before that as the work day wears on, you get more and more unproductive – it’s not just you, science has proven this to be a fact! In order to keep your performance from slipping too much, take a nap! It will reset your productivity levels and keep you performing well during the afternoon, instead of staying on a gradual down-climb throughout the day.
4) It improves your mood.
You might be a cheerful morning person–greeting every work day with a smile on your face–but even the most cheerful of people can find their mood taking a turn for the worse throughout the day. A good mood is directly related to the serotonin levels inside us, and sleeping helps restore that. A stressful day will leave us feeling frustrated and upset, but by taking a nap during the day, you can reverse that!
5) It improves your working memory.
When at work, we often find ourselves confronted with complex tasks that require us to remember certain things while working on other things. This is called working memory, and it can be critical for certain jobs. NASA has done research that proves that taking a nap during the day significantly increases a person’s working memory, and doing so might just make your job a lot easier than it could be otherwise!
There you have it; 5 ways that taking naps can significantly boost your work performance. Do you need any more excuses? Don’t be shy, and start scoping out the area for a cozy nap spot where you won’t be disturbed. Take advantage of that hour-long lunch break that you have, because it’s time to get your 20-30-minute power nap on!
Featured Image from Tangled courtesy of Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures