During our monotonous work lives, we often find ourselves in a position where we feel like we just woke up from a nap. But we know that we were working the whole time. So, why do we feel like we just woke up even without a nap?
Most of us know that every day at lunchtime we get so tired that we can’t stop yawning. The ability to perform and concentrate decreases rapidly, mood worsens, and muscles sag. Such lows are quite normal because we are rhythmic beings. Just as we wake up again in the morning after sleeping at night, we wake up again in the afternoon, but with noticeable performance restrictions.
The state of a person, regardless of whether it is mental, physical, or emotional, changes systematically over the course of the day. These changes are also known as biorhythms. There are basically two intense high and two intense low phases during the day. The first peak occurs in the morning. This high is followed by a low, the noon fatigue, which can especially spread between twelve and two o’clock.
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After the noon fatigue, there is another intense high in the afternoon, for many people between three and five o’clock. This high is followed by the next low, which should eventually lead to sleep. But, why do we feel like we just woke up even without a nap?
Power Nap Or Noon Rest Is Healthy – Why does it feel like we just woke up even without sleep?
According to a study, people who rest at noon, are up to 30 percent more efficient in the afternoon than someone who has worked through during that time. However, this only applies if the rest phase is not exaggerated. A midday rest shouldn’t last longer than 30 minutes because the body only needs this time to regenerate during the day. A longer break would upset the biorhythm too much and waking up would be much more difficult. The transitions between highs and lows are gradual and can shift over time. Between these highs and lows, there are also several smaller fluctuations, which are experienced differently from person to person.
The human body can renew itself, at least within a certain framework, but only if it has enough rest periods. The greatest rest phase should be at night. But so-called power napping at noon not only increases performance but also provides long-term protection against cardiovascular diseases, burn-out, and other symptoms of overload. Regular lunch breaks are therefore part of a healthy and recommended anti-stress program.
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In India, in some tier-2 states, small businesses close during the afternoon so that the owner can take a nap. In the USA and Japan, power napping is being practiced more and more often and is even being supported by numerous companies with special retreat options. Many European companies and employees, on the other hand, are still very hesitant about taking a healthy short nap.