To nap or not to nap? That is the question. There seem to be 
arguments on both sides of the question of whether napping is 
beneficial. The simple answer is that naps can be very effective 
for increasing energy levels when one has a proper understanding 
of how the sleep system works. Failure to understand the inner 
sleep system and sleeping to long during the day can actually 
result in sleep that actually robs you of energy. 

Contrary to popular belief, our bodies are actually very busy 
when we are sleeping. In fact, our inner sleep system involves a 
complex process of sequential sleep stages.  There are a total of 
five sleep stages. The first two stages, Stages 1 and 2, are 
considered light sleeping. During Stages 1 and 2 we can be easily 
awakened and we do not enter a deep enough sleep cause a 
disturbance to our inner sleep clock.  Generally we are in Stage 
1 and 2 sleep during the first 45 minutes of sleep. If we sleep 
longer than 45 minutes we will enter the later stages of sleep 
which involve deep sleep. 

Deep sleep, Stages 3, 4, and 5,  involves physiological changes 
in body temperature, heart rate and respiration.  It is during 
deep sleep that our bodies work to repair themselves and fight 
disease.  This is why people tend to sleep more when they are 
sick and why lack of quality sleep can lower the immune system. 
You can see how taking naps which are more than 45 minutes and 
involve deep sleep could actually knock your inner sleep system 
off balance leaving you tired and without energy. Also, because 
of the complex processes going on during deep sleep it can be 
detrimental to awaken from deep sleep prematurely. Therefore to 
achieve the maximum benefit from a nap it needs to be less than 
45 minutes. In fact, the optimal napping length seems to be ten 
to twenty minutes. A ten to twenty minute power nap can actually 
leave you feeling more refreshed and energized than if you had 
slept much longer. 

A power nap can give you just that lift you need to be more 
productive. This knowledge alone can improve your energy levels 
and lessen your need for sleep. The Powerful Sleep course goes 
into more detail about how to maximize your nap time with Power 
Naps and how to know exactly what is the best time of day to nap 
and what to do after your nap to speed up your body temperature 
rise. When it comes to sleep – think quality and quantity. 


This article is copyright © Craig Desorcy 

For complete information on The Powerful Sleep Course
Click here http://www.effective-info.com/powerfulsleep.html

About Author:
Craig Desorcy Is a published author and an active advocate 
of holistic life styles. Craig(at)effective-info.com