Power nap to power your run!
Posted February 4th, 2007 at 4:00 PM by Valerie Cerami
Section: Running & Training, Training Tips, Health & Fitness, Injury & Rehab, Exercise
Why nap? Because a nap can: increase alertness, boost creativity, reduce stress and improve perception, stamina, motor skills & accuracy.
It also enhances your sex life, helps you make better decisions, keeps you looking younger, aids in weight loss, reduces the risk of heart attack, elevates your mood, and strengthens memory. It is nontoxic, has no dangerous side effects and is absolutely free.
The right nap at the right time can give you all of this and more!
Who naps (napped or is napping)? Albert Einstein, Lance Armstrong, JFK, Winston Churchill, Ryan Hall, Thomas Edison, Jim Lehrer, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are just a few famous advocates of napping, in addition to anyone else who seems: alert, productive, creative, refreshed and ready for anything.
Who should nap? YOU! (Without enough sleep, a person has trouble focusing and responding quickly, according to NIH. The agency said there is growing evidence linking a chronic lack of sleep with an increased risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and infections.)
There are plentiful studies suggesting that napping during the day can increase productivity and have myriad health benefits. According to a new book by Dr. Sara C. Mednick called, “Take a Nap! Change Your Life,” the answer is also an affirmative, unanimous and indisputable – everyone (this includes YOU!).
Even NASA backs up the claim: A NASA study shows that a nap of just 26 minutes can boost performance by as much as 34 percent. Astronaut or not: Poor sleep = degraded task performance. Don’t doze-off before reading on …
Because sleep deprivation can have dire consequences, getting enough rest is essential – and can be easy – with a nap to fill in the gaps. The typical person needs between eight and eight-and-a-half hours of sleep per night. But Americans now get an average of six-and-a-half hours on weekdays, and the amount of time spent in the sack is on the decline. Dr. Charles Czeisler (who studies the effects of insufficient sleep on people’s lives) states:
“Americans with each passing decade are getting more and more sleep deprived.”
Timothy Roehrs, Ph.D. (Director of Henry Ford Hospital’s Sleep Disorders and Research Center, Detroit), reports:
“Napping is clearly beneficial to someone who is a normal sleeper but who is getting insufficient sleep at night … A nap in the afternoon can make up for a poor night’s sleep, according to studies … We don’t understand the underlying neurobiology, but sleep time is cumulative”.
If you need some pep-in-your-step that will translate into more-fun-in-your-run, then perhaps a nap is nature’s way to get you back-on-track. Psychologist William Anthony, Ph.D (Director of Boston University’s Center for Psychological Rehabilitation), promotes the value of a snooze extolling:
“A short nap increases productivity, sharpens the senses, and lifts the spirit. It’s what your mother told you when you were a cranky toddler: Go take a nap! It works the same way with adults.”
He prides himself on napping midday in his office on a long beige couch (which is not used for his counseling sessions. Anthony has written two lighthearted “Art of Napping” books, with his wife, and writes:
“Most Americans are sleep deprived … They’re having accidents, they’re not being as productive as they could be, and they’re being interpersonal dolts — all because they are sleepy … There is something to be said for getting horizontal.”
A new catch phrase to add to your vocabulary: power naps (defined as brief periods of daytime sleep lasting an hour or less). “Power naps” improve alertness, productivity and mood, especially under sleep-deprived conditions.
Naps have been shown to enhance psychomotor speed as well as short-term memory acquisition (Department of Psychology, Harvard University and Laboratory of Neurophysiology and Department of Psychiatry, Massachusetts Mental Health Center, Harvard Medical School). Memorize it, use it!
You can greatly increase your running performance by resting. During sleep (and rest) periods the body repairs and rejuvenates itself, translating into a healthier you. Sleep is the most natural, simple and safe panacea to remedy a slump you may fall into during the long winter ahead. So, store-up, shore-up and build-up your energy reserve with a nap. It’s easy (free!) and proven effective.
Sufficient sleep and naps help motivate exercise. Some 28 percent of adolescents say they are too tired to exercise, due to sleep. As adults, let’s not let tiredness ruin our jogs. You’re guaranteed to run longer, faster, more efficiently and mindfully when your body has it’s required amount of zzzzz’s.
Hazards of sleep deprivation that can impair your workouts, career performance, personal relationships and general health.
Here’s a list of a few potential risks:
- High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease
- Decreased athletic performance
- Memory and concentration problems
- Weight Gain
- Impotence
- Reduced sexual desire, sensation, and lubrication, as well as
negatively affecting their relationship with their partner (women) - Headache
- Fatigue and sleepiness during daytime activity
There is no reason to be embarrassed if you need to take a nap - in truth, napping is one of the best kept secrets of go-getters, movers and shakers – so, grab your blanky and let’s pillow-talk about restorative sleep habits. We want an optimal run, and to challenge ourselves physically (whether training for a marathon or simply for fun-n-fitness reasons).
The easiest way to prepare for optimal running (or life in general) is good ‘ol sleep. Research suggests that a bad night’s sleep can stress the body as well as the mind, impairing all of our endeavors. The simple solution: nap! (Take advice from the multitudes of scientific data documenting the benefits of napping.)
One such study (The Lancet, October 23, 1999 Issue) suggests that missing sleep throws the body’s metabolism off kilter. Scientists at the University of Chicago studied physical changes in 11 young men who slept four hours per night for six nights in a row. They found that sleep deprivation seemed to trigger a diabetes-like condition, harmed hormone production, and interfered with the ability to use carbohydrates.
It’s difficult enough to perform when well rested – why risk harming yourself if you’ve tossed-n-turned the night before. Make-up for lost sleep – and lost endurance – with a nap. It’ll improve your physical (and mental) prowess for the run ahead.
Just as you have a precisely planned running routine, you must also have an (equally diligent) sleep routine. Map it out and stick to it! Sleep on a regular schedule, going to bed and getting up at the same time including on weekends. Schedule, Schedule, Schedule! The most common cause of insomnia is a change in routine, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
When you travel, start a new job or move to a new home, a few nights of insomnia can be expected. While you can’t eliminate change from your life, you can use this information to help you sleep better most of the time by sticking to a routine (running and sleeping alike). And don’t forget to nap. Add a nap whenever you can to supplement your energy and fuel your run – and entire day!
A how-to guide of napping:
Prime nap-time is 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. -The drop in energy you experience
is biological, not due to food intake.
Stage 2 Sleep - There are different phases of sleep (totaling five
stages of the sleep cycle). Within 20 minutes, you experience “Stage
2″ sleep, which increases alertness and motor skills.
Slow Wave Sleep - Within 40 minutes, you’ll experience slow wave
sleep, which increases memory.
REM Sleep - This is deep sleep you’ll get if you nap for up to 90
minutes, and it increases creativity.
Studies show that naps up to 90 minutes won’t interfere with your sleep at night, so don’t sleep too long. And don’t nap within three hours of bedtime.
As for how and when to sleep, experts say it’s not a good thing to fall asleep at the drop of a hat (that means the body is exhausted and is plunging itself into sleep the minute it has the chance). Normally, the body should take about 15 to 20 minutes to fall asleep.
A good night’s sleep varies: according to the NIH, sleep needs vary from person to person and change throughout life. For example, newborns sleep 16 hours to 18 hours a day; children in preschool sleep between 10 hours and 12 hours a day; school-age children and teenagers should get at least nine hours of sleep a day. Adults should get seven hours to eight hours of sleep each day. Know we all differ; know yourself and your needs.
If one of your needs is convincing bedside reading, a new, catchy-titled book just out is: “Take A Nap! Change Your Life”, by Dr. Sara C. Mednick PhD (Research Scientist, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, La Jolla, CA). A napping quote from her book says:
“I found it helps with memory processing, alertness, and learning new skills. We live with less than our recommended eight hours, and that means so many things — decreased sex drive, decreased productivity, and fatigue-related accidents. Napping helps with all of these things.”
Mednick grew interested in researching the benefits of napping because as a student, she took a lot of naps.
Just a cautionary word: while naps are clearly useful for most people, they may not be good for all (such as those suffering from insomnia or depression). Michael Perlis, Ph.D., (Assistant Director of the
University of Rochester Sleep Research Laboratory) warns:
“In the case of the former, napping may worsen nocturnal sleep in patients with insomnia. As for the latter, napping may increase depressive symptoms.”
Another caveat, for everyone: sleep researchers agree that anyone who wants to benefit from a nap should make sure not to lie down too close to bedtime or sleep for more than 90 minutes (it can throw off the circadian rhythm, the body’s internal clock).
Another helpful phrase for us to become familiar with is: “Sleep Apnea”. Sleep apnea is a common disorder that can be very serious (the Greek word “apnea” means “without breath”) … there’s a vocab quiz at the end. In sleep apnea, your breathing stops (or becomes very shallow) during sleep. Each pause in breathing lasts approximately 10 to 20 seconds or longer. Normal breaths start again with a loud snort or choking noise. These pauses may occur 20 to 30 times (or more) an hour, causing fragmented, poor quality (and loud snoring) sleep. Because your sleep (and possibly your partner’s sleep) is upset
throughout the night, you (both) can be very sleepy during the day.
Sleep apnea is very common (as common as adult diabetes) and affects more than twelve million Americans, according to the National Institutes of Health. However; it is estimated that only 10% of patients with sleep apnea are being treated, while some of the remaining 90% know that they have a problem, but they choose not to pursue treatment. Sleep apnea can strike anyone at any age, even children.
Yet still because of the lack of awareness by the public and healthcare professionals, the vast majority remain undiagnosed (and therefore untreated), despite the fact that this serious disorder can have significant consequences. If you think you, or a loved one, may suffer from this ailment – there is a simple questionnaire to determine if you’re at risk. Please take a couple of moments now to take the quiz – it can save you hours upon hours of restless, fruitless sleep in the long run (and we’re all in it for the long run!). If you’d like to explore further on the Internet, be sure to use reputable sites. Of course, your doctor can also provide accurate information.
Untreated, sleep apnea can cause high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease, memory problems, weight gain, impotency, and headaches. Moreover, untreated sleep apnea may be responsible for job impairment and motor vehicle crashes. Fortunately, sleep apnea can be diagnosed and treated. Several treatment options exist, and research into additional options continues. It is far more common, and undiagnosed, than you think. Find out more about sleep apnea today, online or off.
I don’t want to put you asleep with statistics (so briefly) scan a few facts below:
- The average American gets 6.7 hours sleep a night; the recommended amount is eight hours a night.
- According to the National Sleep Foundation, 18 million Americans suffer from sleep apnea, but only 15% are being treated. Many more go undiagnosed. Since sleep apnea is closely connected with obesity and aging, it is expected that the number of patients with this disorder will increase significantly. Ask your doctor about sleep apnea today.
- Studies show tired workers cost business about $150 billion a year in lost productivity. Some companies are starting to respond to sleep-deprived workers by providing the time and space to nap during work hours.
- 50 to 70 million Americans have some type of sleep disorder or chronic under-sleeping that impairs their day-to-day performance.
- America’s sleep deficit grows, so does its waistline. When we get an inadequate amount of sleep at night, there are changes in our body’s metabolism that almost mimic starvation, resulting in carbohydrate cravings and we eating more.
- Experts say people who cut back on sleep by even a few hours each night will, within a week, be just as impaired as if they had pulled an “all-nighter”.
- Four-fifths of students who get the recommended amount of sleep are achieving A’s and B’s in school; those who get less sleep are more likely to get lower grades.
- An estimated 80,000 Americans fall asleep at the wheel every day, resulting in about 8,000 deaths a year. Drowsy driving is implicated in more than 200,000 crashes each year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. (Some 51 percent of adolescent drivers have been on the road while drowsy in the past year.)
- Adequate sleep is important for both health and safety. The CDC estimates sleep difficulties contribute $15.9 billion to health care costs in the United States each year.
With all the data on sleeping, napping and apnea, one final coolly apropos vocab word for today (meaning “half-dream” state): hypnagogoc. Wake-up your friends and colleagues by using this word derived from the Greek “hypn” (sleep) and “agogos’ (inducing, from “agein” to lead). Literally: of, relating to, or occurring in the period of drowsiness immediately preceding sleep. Boston Globe’s Cate McQuaid wrote:
“The hypnagogic state is that heady lull between wakefulness and sleep when thoughts and images flutter, melt, and
transform into wild things”.
As you nod off at your desk, in your own hypnagogic state, envision yourself crossing the finish line first, well heeled and well rested.
Remember: napping is not laziness – napping is productive (revitalizing, ingenious and rewarding), but napping is not hibernating!
We can all benefit from an extra bit snoozing. The advantages of a little shut-eye can be eye opening! Whether you are sleep deprived, or just need a boost, try a power nap – all you have to lose is tiredness!
Research sources and for more information: [ABC News], [Sara Mednick], [NHLKI], [Web MD]
***Note: We encourage EVERYONE to see a doctor before altering their diet, taking a supplement and/or performing athletic, fitness or other strenuous physical activity. It is your responsibility to evaluate the accuracy, completeness and usefulness of any information, instruction, opinion or advice contained in the content. Please also see our complete disclaimer.***
Tags: albert einstein, bed, Bill Clinton, energy, energy reserve, health, hibernate, hibernating, hibernation, hours of sleep, JFK, Jim Lehrer, John F Kennedy, lance armstrong, nap, nap time, performance, power nap, rejuvenate, repair, rest, rested, resting, Ronald Reagan, running, Ryan Hall, sleep, sleep apnea, sleep deprivation, sleeping, stress, stress relieving, well rested, Winston Churchill
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The Final Sprint