March 12, 2007
Power Nap instead of coffee
THE WATER COOLER
Nap more effective than coffee
Associated Press
Published March 12, 2007
Nap more effective than coffee
Associated Press
Published March 12, 2007
If you feel like you're dragging at work, try grabbing a pillow instead of gulping down a latte. Catching some Z's at the office might seem like the worst thing to do when you're behind, but napping can improve productivity, according to sleep scientist Sara Mednick, a professor at the University of California-San Diego and author of "Take a Nap! Change Your Life."
That daily 20-minute run to the coffeehouse would be better spent either catching up on missed sleep or supplementing the eight hours you got the night before. Research shows performance on memory tasks improves more following a nap than after a dose of caffeine, which provides only a short-term buzz, Mednick said.
"Most people are not sleeping well," she said. "The average is about 6.7 hours a night."
Well-rested employees get along better with co-workers and feel more energized at the day's end, plus sleep better at night, Mednick said.
But don't count too many sheep while you're on the clock. After about half an hour you'll fall into a deep sleep that will leave you groggy when you wake up.
That daily 20-minute run to the coffeehouse would be better spent either catching up on missed sleep or supplementing the eight hours you got the night before. Research shows performance on memory tasks improves more following a nap than after a dose of caffeine, which provides only a short-term buzz, Mednick said.
"Most people are not sleeping well," she said. "The average is about 6.7 hours a night."
Well-rested employees get along better with co-workers and feel more energized at the day's end, plus sleep better at night, Mednick said.
But don't count too many sheep while you're on the clock. After about half an hour you'll fall into a deep sleep that will leave you groggy when you wake up.
Labels: nap, power nap, powernap
