I have always maintained that if napping was an Olympic sport you would be reading the words of five-time gold medalist in that discipline. I love to take naps. I bet you like taking a nap too. The truth is our bodies and brains are hardwired to want to take naps but today's modern lifestyle often prohibits us from fulfilling our destinies and our beds.

So, what can we do about our need and desire for a little shuteye during the light of day? Well, it's called a power nap. However, the problem with the power nap or any nap is this. If you sleep too little then you're still feeling tired. If you sleep too much then you might actually feel more groggy and less alert than you might if you'd just stayed awake.

Enter the rocket scientist at NASA. They get paid to study things like napping and rest and sleep and how it affects people. Here's what they've found out about the perfect length for a power nap. According to NASA, you should power nap between 10 and 20 minutes. That's all.

NASA studies showed that people who napped for that short period actually showed great improvement in alertness and cognizance. If you nap longer than 20 minutes you risk sliding into a different stage of sleep that requires more time for your body to feel refreshed.

So go ahead and take your break out in your car. Set your timer on your phone for 20 minutes and then relax. See if that power down doesn't turn into a power play for the rest of your workday. Hey if it's good enough for the astronauts then it's good enough for me. Power naps and Tang, two great gifts from America's space program to folks like you and me.

 

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