We already know how a coming weekend means more rest and how a pending vacation makes us happier, but rest should happen on a daily level as well. Since they improve performance, naps are a great way to sneak in some shut eye without the guilt.
But naps are not a one-size fits all solution. Picking the one best suited to the task ahead will help you get the most out of the time you are putting into exam prep or essay writing.
The Quick Refresher Nap (10-20 mins)
While you already know you should take breaks from studying to be more effective, slip in this emergency type nap for when you are suddenly tired. With such a short duration, the quick refresher puts you into a lighter stage of non-rapid eye movement (NREM) which means you can wake up and hit the ground running.
The Long Day Ahead Nap (26 mins)
Proven by the rocket scientists at NASA, this proactive nap boosts performance and alertness. It acts like regular maintenance on a car – if you do it before you actually need it, you are better off. So take this nap before you are tired but when you know there is a long night ahead or much more to do.
The Bad Nap (30 mins)
This is the nap that leaves you groggy. Sleep is restorative when you get into the REM (rapid eye movement) stage but you need to get through a full cycle to see the benefits. The bad nap starts this process just when your alarm sounds, making you reach for the five minute snooze which doesn’t help either.
The Exam Prep Nap (60 mins)
Napping durations have different effects on different parts of your brain. If you are looking to boost cognitive processing which helps you form memories, take this nap. Since an exam requires quite a bit of revision where your brain needs to recall information, this nap will help you maximize cram sessions.
The Assignment Nap (90 mins)
While the exam prep nap helps you remember, the assignment nap boosts your creativity and procedural memory which are necessary when a 4,000 word report is looming. At 90 minutes, this nap lets you get through a full sleep cycle meaning it reorganizes your brain for performance and problem-solving.
Remember regardless of the length of the nap, the rules on your sleeping environment are still the same – the darker the better, reduce noise to only white noise and lower the temperature.
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