If there’s one thing that I would put on my “to do list” everyday it would be napping.  Because it’s the summer, most of my clients head off to their cottages or go on vacations and my schedule becomes a little bit more flexible.

Weather or not I train clients in the early hours of the morning, I’m still up no later than 7 am.  Although I sleep really well, I usually feel a bit sluggish in the mid afternoon around 1 or 2 pm.  I try to sneak in a quick power-nap on some days.  Let me tell you, when i do get the chance to take a nap for  for 20 minutes I’m in heaven.  I totally relax my body and I shut my brain off.

Afterwards I feel so energetic and refreshed.  It’s like getting a quick dose of some secret energy potion…without the potion.

There has also been numerous articles and studies that prove taking short naps can enhance your health.  You’ll be able to boost your productivity, lower your stress levels, and improve your mood.  Companies have even started to create pods so their employees can peacefully take naps at work to rejuvenate their bodies and minds.

But the key to power-naps is that’s exactly what they are:  A nap.  Experts say if you sleep too long you’ll get “sleep inertia” which is a heavy sluggish feeling when you wake up.

What happens here is that if you nap too long you essentially decrease your brains activity and it will take about thirty minutes or more to “reboot” your brain.

It’s ultimately up to you to experiment and find the right amount of time for your naps, but generally many people find that 10-20 minutes is sufficient.

So if you’re looking to reenergize your body in the middle of the day, find a quiet spot, relax, and catch some Z’s.