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Power Napping

If you find yourself feeling sleepy after lunch, perhaps a siesta is what you need, but does the power nap really work?

Whether you're preparing for an important meeting or tidying up at home, on some afternoons it's virtually impossible to fight the urge to sleep. Should you give in and enjoy a bit of shut-eye or will it make it even more difficult to get to sleep at night?

We're designed for two sleeps a day - the main one at night and a nap in the afternoon. A drop in temperature makes us feel sleepy between 2 and 4p.m. If you're getting enough sleep at night, you'll probably be OK - a handful of nuts may be all you need to pep you up.

If you're sleep deprived, though, you could be under par all afternoon. Suddenly you need to stretch, move about, yawn or sigh. You might find it harder to concentrate and your mind will start wandering. You could even start making typing errors and find it more difficult to find the right word when you're speaking. According to fans of napping, if you just grab a coffee and push on, you're denying your body its natural restorative period. But a 15- to 20-minute nap, they say, can restore alertness and memory and relieve stress and fatigue. You're also less likely to fall asleep in front of the TV later on, then be unable to drop off at bedtime.

In reality, though, it's often difficult to nap. If you're looking after children, you can't leave them unsupervised for 20 minutes and although some companies are beginning to allow napping - particularly those that rely on shift workers - most don't. But even if you don't actually fall asleep, 20 minutes of quiet time may give you the boost you need.

NICE NAPPING

Find somewhere quiet.
If you're working in an office, switch your phone to voicemail and either sit at your desk or find an empty room. Ideally you'd hang a sign on your door saying 'Do not disturb' and get your secretary to wake you 20 minutes later. But we're not all company directors.
Loosen your clothing and take off your shoes. Lie down on a sofa, stretch out on the floor or if that's not possible sit comfortably on a chair, placing your head in your folded arms on your desk.
Close your eyes - ideally, put on an eye mask.
Try not to think about work or all the things you have to do. Focus on what you love doing in your spare time. If you like golf, you might mentally play a round of golf on your regular course. Maybe drift back to a favourite holiday, or listen to some calming music.
Just rest at first - if your brain needs a rest as well, you'll soon fall asleep.
Set the alarm to go off in twenty minutes' time, in case you do fall asleep. Don't sleep for more than 30 minutes - you'll wake up groggier and foggier.
When you wake up lie still for a minute or two - then stretch and breathe deeply and take a drink of water or a light snack to get your system going again.
Then, return to work, starting with simple chores such as opening letters or organising the work you have to do. Within just a few minutes you should feel sparky again.

NAPPING WITH A BABY

If you've got a young baby who wakes up constantly at night taking short naps might well help you get through the day until your baby begins to follow a more consistent sleep schedule (usually around three or four months). If you're at home with your baby, nap when she does. If you work outside your home, try flexible working or reserve blocks of time to nap during your working day if that's possible. However, if you have problems falling asleep at bedtime, or find you are still waking in the night even though your baby is sleeping through, give up daytime naps. Don't make up for a restless night by sleeping late or going to bed earlier than usual, either. This can turn a short-term sleep problem into a long-term sleep disturbance. If you begin to feel drowsy during the day, stay active by cleaning the house, exercising or visiting a friend.


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