Sleeping difficulties? How to avoid it and why to adopt “micro-nap”
Micro-nap for small or heavy sleepers. Sleep allows the body to perform many biological functions on which the state of health depends in part.
However, the perpetual changes that shape our societies leave less and less room for rest, which is becoming increasingly rare to the detriment of health and sometimes efficiency.
In order to adapt to these changes and meet the body’s needs, which do not change, the micro-nap has interfered in the schedule of many people.
What about you? Need a nap?
What does the micro-nap consist of?
The micro-nap (or flash nap) must last 10 to 30 minutes or even less than 10 minutes to be worthy of the name 😉
This period corresponds to the first phases of sleep, which are characterized by drowsiness and light sleep.
During these phases, where we remain conscious and sensitive to external stimuli, there is a relative relaxation that initiates a decrease in biological rhythms to, finally, reach the ensuing sleep.
The interest remains, of course, to take advantage of this first episode of relaxation without dozing off, to exploit the virtues of the micro-nap, which we will detail later.
Thus, thanks to its very short duration and the fact that it does not necessarily have to take place while lying down, the micro-nap can be practiced at work, at school, and wherever it seems reasonable to you to lay your head.
And we see you coming, meetings and classes are not reasonable times!
The interest of the micro-nap for vigilance
If you spot any faults in this article, maybe its author should indulge in the micro-nap.
Indeed, according to a study carried out in 2018 by C. Boyer and S. Lacoste, a short nap of 10 to 30 minutes would improve alertness.
Carried out among 93 students and 103 employees in real conditions (unchanged lifestyle), this study’s objective was to compare the effects of a postprandial micro-nap before and after its initiation.
Results, the implementation of a sh ort period of rest significantly improved the two populations’ sustained attention to the spellcheckers’ delight!
We could associate these results with other benefits of the micro-nap, which concern, for example, the reduction of fatigue and stress.
So pay close attention…
Because what I’m about to reveal will change your life in every way that counts…
…even if you THINK you get a good night’s sleep every night…
Because what I discovered is brand new research reveals that at least 67% of folks unknowingly suffer from a specific type of sleep disruption…
…and that most people aren’t even aware that it is happening to them…
>> LEARN MORE
The interest of the micro-nap for memory
Tired of forgetting the things to do during the day?
While the micro-nap probably won’t help you remember the birthdays of everyone you love, it could be useful in the short term.
This was demonstrated in 2008 by Olaf Lahl and his team in a comparative study dedicated to evaluating the effects of a short nap, a long nap, and the absence of a nap on declarative memory.
Each participant was given a list of 30 words to memorize and, after 60 minutes spent either walking or taking a short (less than 6 minutes) or long (> 30 minutes) nap, had to repeat as many words as possible.
While participants who took a nap performed better on the assessment than the active group, no significant difference was observed between the “micro-nap” and “long nap” groups.
In other words, even a nap of about 6 minutes could improve declarative memory.
The interest of the micro-nap for the athlete
What if the micro-nap helped improve your athletic performance?
This is not surprising given the importance of sleep on the athlete’s recovery, which must undeniably compensate for periods of physical and physiological damage caused by exertion. The night does not only bring advice but provides solutions.
This is why, the longer the rest and the better the quality, the better the recovery will go.
Thus, a study published in 2020 in the “International Journal of Sports Physiology and Performance” indicates that while a 20-minute nap has benefits on athletes’ reaction time and maximum power, lacking sleep.
A Longer nap (90 minutes) may have preventative effects on oxidative and muscle damage caused by training.
In this context, the nap takes place as a last resort, when the athlete’s sleep time is not sufficient to compensate for his activity period.
What you must remember
Improved alertness, memory, and athletic performance, reduced fatigue, and stress. Here are several reasons which, without a doubt, deserve to indulge in a micro-nap.
Practical and easy to integrate into the schedule, it allows everyone to benefit from its virtues.
Do not wait any longer and, for a moment, make your table a cozy place.
If you need more help to relax your mind, read about different ways to meditation work for you here.
