Hey there,

It’s Monday, and this week we have a very special menu for you: Power Naps 

I’ve thoughtfully assembled this menu, choosing each dish based on its significance and nutritional composition. I hope you are hungry, because it’s time to get served.

Enjoy!

Starter 🥗 

The Nap Problem

A daily afternoon nap is a common practice in many cultures (like the Spanish siesta or Japanese hirune) and is becoming increasingly popular in the modern world. Big tech companies like Google, Samsung, and Facebook have adapted to the napping culture by setting up sleep pods in their workplaces to encourage employees to get some rest throughout the workday. So I guess napping must be good, right?

But I bet you know this feeling: 

You are feeling tired, so you decide to take a short nap. Just a few minutes. Suddenly, you wake up three hours later in another solar system, feeling like an empty fuel tank and much more sleepy than before. If you've never felt this before, consider yourself blessed! Why do some naps go well while others end in terrible disasters?

Main 🥙 

Power Naps

Are power naps healthy? In a 2023 study, researchers at University College London (UCL) discovered that habitual day napping can help preserve our brains' size and improve their overall health. People with smaller brain sizes tend to have higher levels of the stress hormone cortisol. Bigger brains = better health.

Perfect nap length: 10-20 minutes Why? Napping for 10-20 minutes prevents people from falling into the deep sleep stage. During the nap, your muscles relax, brain activity decreases, and your body temperature and heart rate begin to drop. If you try to wake up in a deep sleep stage, you will feel sleepy and groggy. Also, taking short naps (5-15 minutes) can immediately boost our cognitive performance.

When should you take a power nap? The optimal time to nap is between 1 and 3 p.m., when most people have a natural dip in energy due to their circadian rhythm. Sleeping too late in the day might make it difficult to fall asleep at night. But if you feel tired and like sleeping, then why shouldn’t you take a nap? Your body is clearly sending you signals that it needs some recovery. What better way to recover than with a quick nap (I like to call it a quickie 😉 ). Listen to your body!

Dessert 🍰 

The Perfect Power Nap

How to take the perfect power nap:

1. Find a quiet place.

2. Set a timer (max. 20 minutes).

3. Reduce the noise (it’s hard to fall asleep when it’s loud) or listen to some relaxing sounds.

4. Find a comfortable position (sitting or lying down).

5. Close your eyes or grab an eye mask to make it dark.

6. Breathe calmly in and out through your nose.

7. Slowly drift into sleep and enjoy the nap.

Careful! Taking power naps may have a negative impact on your sleep cycle. Choose wisely when or if it’s even necessary to take a power nap.

Snacks 🥜 

Dad Joke of the Week

A Deep Question

Where do you feel the safest?

A Friendly Reminder

You aren’t satisfied yet?

Here some personal recommendations and my sources for you:

• 🎙️ Podcasts: Sleep Toolkit & The World’s No.1 Sleep Expert

• 📚️ Books: Why We Sleep & The Promise of Sleep

• 📑 Articles:  Why power naps may be good for our health & Should you take power naps?

Thank you for being here 💝 

Looking forward to serving you next week.

Much love,

Benji