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Know your sleep stages

Know your sleep stages

Different phases of sleep confer different benefits on the brain and body, so you can actually hack your nap by adjusting when you nap and for how long.

The first 20 minutes of your nap are spent in Stage 2 sleep, which provides energy and alertness. Stay asleep longer and you’ll enter slow-wave sleep (SWS), which is when the brain begins to process memories and information, and then rapid eye movement (REM), the creativity-boosting dream phase.

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Perfect Nap = 20 minutes

Perfect Nap = 20 minutes

The National Sleep Foundation recommends a snooze lasting 20 to 30 minutes. That’s long enough to grab a dose of that energizing Stage 2 sleep, without the risk of being plunged into the slow-wave sleep that can make you groggy.

A famous 1994 NASA study found that long-haul pilots who nappe...

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Practice makes perfect

Practice makes perfect

You can train yourself to become better at napping

it gets easier and more fun the more you do it, like riding a bike, but horizontal.

Once your brain and body get in the habit, you’ll learn to drift off quickly and even wake up at the perfect time without an alarm.

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Carry a nap kit

Carry a nap kit

An airplane nap kit, complete with sleep mask, neck pillow, and earplugs, can enable you to create the right conditions for sleep almost anywhere.

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Timing is key

Timing is key

Plan your nap for the time when your body is naturally sleepier and you’re more likely to fall asleep.

Everybody, no matter if they live in a warm or cold climate or if they’ve eaten a big meal, experiences these subtle changes at bedtime and, to a lesser extent, in the afternoon — usua...

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Don't sleep too late in the day

Don't sleep too late in the day

Improperly timed naps can interfere with your nighttime sleep, experts say. Don’t sleep too long or too late in the day, especially if you have trouble falling asleep at night.

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Clear your mind

Clear your mind

The main barrier to falling asleep at nap time is an overactive mind

“Nap Bishop” Tricia Hersey recommends journaling before you lie down, to process whatever is nagging you. Or try a guided meditation like Yoga Nidra, also known as yogic sleep, to relieve stress and give your brain a break...

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Try a caffeine nap

Try a caffeine nap

Since caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, almost exactly the recommended nap length, down your latte just before lying down. 

The caffeine will act as a natural alarm, waking you up refreshed and ready to focus on the next activity. A 2003 Japanese study found that caffeine naps wer...

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Generalist. Great minds discuss ideas, average minds discuss events, small minds discuss people.

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Sleep Stages

Sleep Stages

  • Stage 1. Your breathing slows as well as your heartbeat, eye movement, and brain wave activity. Your muscles begin to relax.
  • Stage 2. Your breathing, heartbeat, and brain wave activity continue to slow. Eye movements stop.
  • Stage 3....

The deepest part of sleep

The deepest part of sleep

Slow-Wave stage of NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) sleep is the deepest phase of sleep.
This stage, which repairs and restores the brain, readies you for the next day, fully awake and functioning at an optimal level.

NREM and REM Sleep

NREM and REM Sleep

REM, the Rapid Eye Movement stage of sleep happens when our eyes are moving fast; we are said to be dreaming in that stage.

NREM (Non-Rapid Eye Movement) is the stage of sleep when we are in deep sleep and are not moving. In this stage, our brain is able to clear toxins and con...

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