Need to recharge? Don't lean on caffeine, take a power nap!

In the hustle-bustle of our everyday lives, balancing office work and household chores, our sleeping routine usually goes for a complete toss. In order to function with zest and energy, we end up drinking too many cups of coffee. But, caffeine may not be the best solution to stay awake. Instead, one should add power naps in their daily routine.

Potential health benefits of power naps include enhanced memory, improved cognitive performance and stronger logical reasoning. But how exactly should you go about adding power naps to your daily schedule?

To perfect the power nap, you have to perfect your timing. An often-cited 1995 study by NASA found that a 26-minute nap is a sweet duration for a good nap, improving alertness by 54 percent and performance by 34 percent. However, experts tend to agree that anywhere from 20 to 30 minutes is enough to reap benefits without leaving you feeling groggy when waking up.

Here are some tips for more effective napping:

Choose the best time

Be consistent and keep a regular nap schedule. Prime napping time falls in the middle of the day, between 1 pm and 3 pm, when your energy level dips due to a rise in the hormone melatonin.

Set an alarm

When you're tired, it can be easy to sleep past your 30-minute allotted time limit. To avoid oversleeping (and the grogginess that can follow), set an alarm to wake you up.

Try meditation

If you don’t have time for a power nap or don’t feel comfortable napping during the day, try meditation; it gives your body rest and produces slower brain waves similar to those produced while sleeping.

Also Read: High caffeine intake could raise risk of blinding eye disease: Study

However, not everyone needs to nap! People with insomnia shouldn’t nap as daytime naps can potentially worsen their condition.