Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Latin American Cultures Have It Right - Let's Nap

All right. I know that an Email Management Blog is not the place you
expected to see a post about napping, but in light of recent articles,
I thought it might be an interesting read. It is, actually, a very
relevant issue when it comes to better performance and happier people
(so they say). In Latin America (and many other cultures), a siesta is
not just a guilty pleasure, it is a way of life. Everyone goes to work,
comes home for lunch, takes a quick nap and returns to work. The
typical work day tends to be a bit longer and it definitely helps pass
the time when the rains unleash in afternoons, but who cares - at least
they are getting a bit of rest in between. I love vacationing there for
that very reason. But why wait for time off?

So what do the scientists say? Some recommend power naps of 15-20 minutes for a quick pick-me-up. Web Worker Daily also reports that a 90-120 minute nap is also beneficial. Anything in-between is not restful enough to make much of a difference.
For more details on the science, you can read the Web Worker Daily Post Nap
Your Way To Success
or consult my favorite source Wikipedia.

Better yet, maybe you should log off and conduct your own experiment by catching a few zzz's yourself.

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