Note: This guest post was written by Andy SZEN. Check out his websites: www.egodevelopment.com

A power nap is a short nap, normally between 10 and 30 minutes long, taken in the middle of the day in order to reinvigorate and refresh you for the next part of the day. Power naps are not similar to normal sleep, so you will not be groggy after taking one. While you might have “dreams”, power naps are more similar to meditation, where thoughts are allowed to move from the sub-conscious mind to the conscious mind and back again without you concentrating on them.

How to Power Nap Effectively:
- Don`t be shame – be proud of your nap, announcing your intentions in advance toworkmates or family members. Napping is great for your health and productivity.
- Choose a time of the day when you are most likely to crash, such as the mid-morning or in the middle of the afternoon. Plan to nap between 10 and 30 minutes in your quiet spot during those times. The time limits may vary depending on how much sleep your body will need to renew its energy.
- Choose a quiet, location to power nap. One thing you want to make sure is that you have a silence place that you can power nap without being interrupted or distracted by environmental factors, such as cars or ground maintenance workers. If you choose to power nap in your office, then make sure that you post a sign that lets people know that you are power napping and not to disturb you.
- Collect your equipment blankets, pillows and, where possible, a foldout bed will ensure you get the most out of the rest, and help you separate naptime from the rest of the day
- Eat right – Avoid caffeine and sugar. If you choose to practice power napping, then you want to make sure you avoid eating too much caffeinated or sugary products before you power nap, as these can obviously obstruct with your ability to sleep. Read The Full Story…

The power-nap is a short sleep which terminates before the occurrence of deep sleep or slow-wave sleep intended to quickly revitalize the subject. (wikipedia)

“A power nap is a short nap, normally between 10 and 30 minutes long, taken in the middle of the day in order to reinvigorate and refresh you for the next part of the day.” Power naps are not similar to normal sleep, so you will not be groggy after taking one. While you might have “dreams”, power naps are more similar to meditation, where thoughts are allowed to move from the sub-conscious mind to the conscious mind and back again without you concentrating on them. Research says that taking a nap of 30 minutes a day is better than sleeping 30 minutes later in the morning.

10 Healthy benefits of the power nap:

1. boost in productivity and energy at work

2. increased motivation

3. improved ability to concentrate,

4. better mood

5. improved hand-eye coordination

6. improve emotional state

7. increased learning

8. maintain peak brain activity during the course of the day

9. protect yourself from sleepiness

10. decrease and eliminate stress Read The Full Story…

Could napping at work really boost productivity?
A NASA study shows that a nap of just 25 minutes can increase performance by as much as 35 percent.
The average American gets 6.7 hours sleep a night; the recommended amount is eight hours a night.
Some companies are starting to respond to sleep-deprived workers by providing the time and space to nap during work hours.

Once you lay your head down for a nap, the worst thing to do is start stressing — this will waste time and defeats the purpose of getting the most rest in the least amount of time. To help you get the most of your power naptime, we suggest trying a few of the following tips:

Announce your nap to yourself and your colleagues
Just closing your eyes for a few guilty moments will not cut it – you have to give yourself permission to nap to get the most out of it

Get comfortable
Most sleeping difficulties are psychosomatic, not physical, so if you are having trouble falling asleep, consider revaluating the environment you’re sleeping in. An environment conducive to napping is quiet, dark and free from interruptions. If you sleep on a floor at work, keep a mat (like a yoga mat that rolls up) at work, and possibly a pillow and blanket, if that makes you more comfortable. Other tools of the trade to consider – eyeshades, ipod or walkman with restful music, or specific MP3 files designed to help you wind down and fall asleep.

Collect your equipment
Blankets, pillows and, where possible, a foldout bed will ensure you get the most out of the rest, and help you separate naptime from the rest of the day

Make sure you’re not worried about waking up
Some people wake up naturally, but if you are worried, make sure you have an alarm. It is difficult to enjoy your 40 winks if you keep getting up to check the time after 15, 20 and 30 winks Read The Full Story…

“A power nap is a short nap, normally between 10 and 30 minutes long, taken in the middle of the day in order to reinvigorate and refresh you for the next part of the day.”

If you not have time for a full-out siesta but even naps as short as 20 minutes can make a big difference in your energy level, ability to concentrate, and general outlook. Scientists have long researched the positive effects of napping, and now there is growing evidence to suggest that power napping can increase productivity levels and even uplift your spirit.
A powerful way to combat a daily fatigue is by learning how to effectively power nap during the day to recharge and go into round two with full energy.

If you want to take a nap at work, I suggest trying a few of the following tips:

- Announce your nap to yourself and your colleagues. Just closing your eyes for a few guilty moments will not cut it – you have to give yourself permission to nap to get the most out of it.
– Get comfortable. Most sleeping difficulties are psychosomatic, not physical, so if you are having trouble falling asleep, consider reevaluating the environment you’re sleeping in. An environment conducive to napping is quiet, dark and free from interruptions. If you sleep on a floor at work, keep a mat (like a yoga mat that rolls up) at work, and possibly a pillow and blanket, if that makes you more comfortable. Other tools of the trade to consider – eye shades, ipod or walkman with restful music, or specific MP3 files designed to help you wind down and fall asleep.

– Collect your equipment. Blankets, pillows and, where possible, a foldout bed will ensure you get the most out of the rest, and help you separate naptime from the rest of the dayMake sure you’re not worried about waking upSome people wake up naturally, but if you are worried, make sure you have an alarm. It is difficult to enjoy your 40 winks if you keep getting up to check the time after 15, 20 and 30 winks

- Eat rightAvoid consuming caffeine, fat, carbohydrates or sugar in the hours before your nap as these foods make it harder to get to sleep. Instead, try to consume protein and calcium. In an ideal scenario, drinking a glass of warm milk about an hour before you plan to nap will encourage you to sleep. Read The Full Story…

Is a lot of people who want to travel cross country without hotels, want to save on rent, or just don’t feel like driving home after a long day. Sleeping in your car may be illegal in certain places, especially if the individual sleeping has been drinking alcohol. The laws about drinking and driving differ from country to country, and can sometimes rely on a policeman’s judgment regarding whether they think you’re intending on driving before fully sobering up. The best way to keep away from potential problems is not to drink at all – however, if it is unavoidable, do not put the keys in the ignition, and certainly do not start the car, not even to run the heater. Instead, put the keys in the glove box – and be sure not to sleep in the driver’s seat. Be aware that if the car is parked on public roads, the police or other emergency services may need to ask you to move it, which can make life interesting.

Furthermore, in some places sleeping in a car may be a dangerous practice, as there could be a possibility of being mugged or even killed. If you can find a safe place, however, sleeping in your car can be an extremely useful option when making road trips. On a weekend excursion it can allow you to save money that would otherwise be used to pay for a hotel room, and it can also remove the possibility of driving unsafely after a good night on the town. It may also be necessary to sleep in one’s car for a variety of unforeseen reasons – when broken down and awaiting rescue during daylight hours perhaps, when you’re so completely lost you can’t even find a town (let alone a B&B), or when you’ve locked yourself out of the house (or someone else has locked you out), or when very bad weather has forced you to stop, or, in extreme circumstances, when you don’t have anywhere else to sleep.

Select a Spacious Car to Sleep In. If you attempt to sleep in a vehicle such a Ford Ka, you are unlikely to get a good night’s sleep. Such a vehicle is small and has thin doors that do not keep the heat in very well. A larger vehicle with a more spacious interior, such as the Ford Cortina, will offer superior comfort. Read The Full Story…

In a recent study, researchers at NASA showed that a thirty to forty-minute power nap increased cognitive faculties by approximately 40%!

The healthy benefits of napping have been well documented scientific. Research has revealed that a nap can help physical well-being, improve mood and memory, sharpen senses and revitalize a person. The neurons in brain functioning get to rest and recuperate from the day’s stress.

Here’s what you need to know about the healthy benefits of nap and how a power nap can help you:

• 1. boost in productivity and energy at work

• 2. increased motivation

• 3. improved ability to concentrate,

• 4. better mood

• 5. improved hand-eye coordination

• 6. improve emotional state

• 7. increased learning

• 8. maintain peak brain activity during the course of the day

• 9. protect yourself from sleepiness

• 10. decrease and eliminate stress

Read The Full Story…

There are many factors, both internal and external, that can influence the quantity and quality of your sleep. Food can be a common source of creating a chemical origin for insomnia. You may not be able to control or eliminate all of the factors that interfere with your sleep, but you can create an environment and adopt habits that encourage a more restful night.

Here are a ten “Not-to-do” lists that may improve your quality of sleep:

1.Eat right, sleep tight. Try not to go to bed hungry, but avoid heavy meals before bedtime. An over-full belly can keep you up. Some foods can help, though. Milk contains tryptophan, which is a sleep-promoting substance. Other foods that may help promote sleep include tuna, halibut, pumpkin, artichokes, avocados, almonds, eggs, bok choy, peaches, walnuts, apricots, oats, asparagus, potatoes, buckwheat, and bananas.

2. Avoid napping. Napping can only make matters worse if you usually have problems falling asleep. If you do nap, keep it short. A brief 15-20-minute snooze about eight hours after you get up in the morning can actually be rejuvenating.

3. Avoid watching TV, eating, and discussing emotional issues in bed. The bed should be used for sleep and sex only. If not, you can end up associating the bed with distracting activities that could make it difficult for you to fall asleep.

4. Avoid smoking. Cigarettes contain nicotine, which has been linked to difficulty falling asleep and problems awakening. Also, when smokers fall asleep, they experience nicotine withdrawal, which may cause them to awaken. Read The Full Story…

This revolutionary sleeps technique enables you to sleep better by stopping the nightly struggle. In most cases, sleep devices are safer and less intrusive than medications to treat sleep problems. It also helps you increase energy levels during the day with unique power naps or performance breaks.

Here are some of the main types of sleep devices:

1. Dreamate uses accupressure techniques to gently massage the “sleeping golden triangle” on your left wrist. Used 30 minutes before bedtime, you can retune and reset your biological clock and train your body to relax and sleep. See results in as little as a week’s worth of use, with best results after eight weeks. These precise pressure points, when gently massaged, calm the body, lower stress levels, and induce sleep. Unlike addictive sleeping pills that knock you senseless, but offer little improvement in your sleep quality.

2. CPAP device. One way to treat people who have sleep apnea is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device. A CPAP device includes a mask, tubes and a fan. It uses air pressure to push your tongue forward and open your throat. This allows air to pass through your throat. It reduces snoring and prevents apnea disturbances.You should put your CPAP device on whenever you sleep, even for naps. A CPAP device does not cure sleep apnea. But, when you use the device correctly, your sleep problems should get much better.

3. Anti snoring pillow. Anti snoring pillows are available to help stop snoring and to provide comfort while on your sleep. These are designed in such a way that the central pillow area is thinner than the portions around the edges. With anti snoring pillows, the user’s head is aligned with the spinal column regardless of the sleeping position. This provides for no obstruction on the breathing airway.Anti snoring pillows come in standard sizes and are usually white in color. The fillings may vary, and mainly covered with anti-allergy material.

Read The Full Story…