To nap, or not to nap? Here's what the science says...

Most westerners stick to one big sleep at night (monophasic). But it's not clear if this is the natural sleep pattern of humans. 

Napping was Leonardo Da Vinci's go to; he followed the Uberman sleep cycle: 20-minute naps every four hours.  'Bucky' Fuller – a renowned American neo-futuristic architect – slept for 30 minutes every six hours. 

In 1997, George Costanza popularised sleeping on the job (https://lnkd.in/fVDrH5K).

So what does the science say?

In short, power-naps (30 minutes or less) are better for performance than longer naps, no nap, or a coffee. Because...

1. Naps can improve reaction time, logical reasoning, mood & short-term memory even for well-rested people. 

2. Naps offer longer-lasting improvements in motor skills, cognitive performance, and reduced sleepiness than caffeine.

3. Longer naps (two hours or longer) are associated with longer-lasting performance improvements than short ones (30 minutes or less).

4. Longer naps are more susceptible to sleep inertia (feeling groggy), which reduces performance immediately after the nap. 

5. The benefits of short naps occur almost immediately and aren't impacted by sleep inertia.