Sumathi Reddy has an informative column today in the WSJ about the art and science of sleep.
A few highlights:
- Studies have found different benefits—and detriments—to a nap's timing, duration and even effect on different people, depending on one's age and possibly genetics.
- "Naps are actually more complicated than we realize," said David Dinges, a sleep scientist at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine.
- For a quick boost of alertness, experts say a 10-to-20-minute power nap is adequate for getting back to work in a pinch.
- For cognitive memory processing, however, a 60-minute nap may do more good...The downside: some grogginess upon waking.
- Finally, the 90-minute nap will likely involve a full cycle of sleep, which aids creativity and emotional and procedural memory, such as learning how to ride a bike. Waking up after REM sleep usually means a minimal amount of sleep inertia...
- Experts say the ideal time to nap is generally between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Napping later in the day could interfere with nighttime sleep.
- A telltale sign of being very sleep-deprived...is dreaming during a short nap. "Definitely in a 20-minute nap you should not be dreaming"...
Read the full article (and see the full-sized graphic) here.
