A new study from AIIMS Patna has confirmed the brain-boosting power of a daytime power nap.
Published in the International Journal of Scientific Research, the study of 68 volunteers found that a power nap enhances cognition and it is especially helpful in improving calculative ability or execution of skillful tasks like driving.
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In the study, participants were asked to solve the number game Sudoku. When people got stuck at a certain difficulty level, the test group was allowed to take a nap for one hour while the other group got a wakeful rest. Out of the 37 who stayed awake, 6 were able to solve the puzzle whereas out of the 31 who slept, as many as 16 accomplished the task.
The study’s lead author explains that while napping at work gets a bad rep, their findings show that power naps offer some potential usefulness in boosting cognitive performance.
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