Historically, falling asleep during the work day is highly frowned upon in western civilization. But more and more companies are seeing the light and, for many, daily naps are no longer a No-No. In honor of National Napping Day, we wanted to give you a couple of our favorite reasons why naps are awesome and the best practices when it comes to perfecting them… Hammock Style.
Health Benefits of Napping
1. Napping increases Creativity, Learning, Productivity and Memory
There have been several Nap studies done recently, debunking the negative stigma around it. They have discovered positive results supporting the Nap. Without boring you too much, here they are.
One study showed that brain activity remains higher in nappers all day compared to people who don’t take a rest.
Another discovered a burst of activity in the right hemisphere, the side most strongly linked to creativity, Health.com reported.
2. Napping battles bad attitudes and stress
Bad attitudes can be a real office killer. Napping can be your secret weapon when you feel a less than ideal mood coming on, a quick nap is a well-documented mood booster. The National Sleep Foundation recommends taking “a mini-vacation” to reduce those stress levels we all build.
Nap Tips
1. When?
We are the Sleepiest in the afternoon (and the middle of the night, of course). Ever wonder why your productivity slumps around 2-3pm? Don’t worry, it’s not you, it’s science.
Because of our natural sleep cycles there are 2 times that we are most tired during a 24-hour period. One is, predictably, in the middle of the night, while the other tends to be 12 hours later or in middle of the afternoon.
2. Where?
Anywhere you can get comfortable. Like Duh, right?
The more comfortable you can get the quicker you can get to sleep, therefore maximizing your shut eye. Everyone has their own opinions but obviously, we are partial to hammocks. A Grand Trunk hammock packs down small enough to fit into your work bag, just find a nice quiet spot to hang it and grab a couple Z’s. If setting up a hammock is not an option, the puffy travel pillow is a perfect addition to a quick desk nap.
3. Make your nap surroundings as similar to your nighttime rest as possible.
Making sure the environment is quiet, dark and cool can be very helpful when trying to fall asleep. The Grand Trunk Hooded Travel Pillow is amazing when you want to make sure it’s known that you are on “Do Not Disturb” mode. While the Black Out Travel Eye Mask is just that little extra support for your eye lids.
The stigma attached to the Nap is quickly changing. No longer is it associated with slackers and lazy asses. If you find yourself struggling most afternoons, take a quick nap. All the research out there is hard to argue with. Science, it’s boring but it’s a part of our lives.
