If things cease to bring you benefits - absorb the information. If the information ceases to bring you a favor - go to sleep. Ursula K. Le Guin
Churchill loved to nap. For him, it was more than a habit - it was a ritual that the British prime minister is considered one of the main components of his political success. He argued that the two-hour afternoon nap, like nothing else improves performance. And perhaps that is what has helped him to maintain clarity of mind and firmness of memory even in old age (Churchill died at the age of 90).
After a dream - it really is the key to health. Even a short and a day. In this article you will learn what happens in our head when we nap, afternoon, and how sleep affects our brains work.
What happens in your head when doze
The left brain is responsible for logic and reasoning. It treats the verbal information that controls speech. Due to the left hemisphere people remembers the various facts, names, dates, as well as analyzes and synthesizes them.
The right hemisphere -. More "creative" It is responsible for the processing of so-called non-verbal information, that is, images and symbols. Thanks to this man can dream, to fantasize, to understand and create metaphors.
Scientific research It shows that when a person is asleep, the left side is much less active than the right. The right hemisphere, on the contrary, is hard at work - is engaged in short-term memory and cleaning "archives" accumulated during the day information in non-volatile memory.
That's why after a short afternoon nap people better remember the various facts and performs logical operation, because his left hemisphere is "rested".
The use of an afternoon nap
Experts in the field of sleep establishedThat a short afternoon nap:
- It increases the sharpness of thinking;
- It stimulates creativity;
- reduces stress;
- enhances perception, endurance, locomotor activity;
- promotes fat burning;
- It reduces the risk of heart disease
- and improves mood.
But, more importantly, due to the increased activity of the right hemisphere of the brain to improve memory and learning ability. We consider these processes in more detail.
Memory
scientists have conducted experiment. They scored two groups of volunteers and asked them to remember the information on one set of cards. This was followed by a 40-minute break, after which the participants in the experiment again offers cards for memorizing. The difference between the subjects consisted only in the fact that the first group was awake during the break, and the second - dozing.
As a result, it was found that people following the siesta cope with the task of scientists is much better.
Much to the surprise of the researchers in the group, which had a little sleep, 85% of people remembered perfectly the information and stores it again. While in the group that did not sleep, only 60% coped well with the job.
During the transition from short-term memory to long-term information corresponds to part of the brain called the "hippocampus". His work can be compared to the computer's memory. If the information is too much memory "overflows" - information may be lost. Short naps conveys information to the neocortex, protecting it thus from the "erasure".
Training
In another experiment participants were asked to solve puzzles in the afternoon, when their brain is already absorbed enough information. Approximately 14 hours half volunteers pokemarit formed. Then all the subjects resumed his tasks.
As it turned out, that part of the experiment participants who slept, cope with tasks much better.
Dr. Matthew Walker (Matthew Walker) attributes this to the fact that during a short afternoon nap clears short-term memory and brain ready to absorb new information.
It's like working with the mail. When the mailbox is full, you have to parse emails in folders, otherwise you will not receive any new messages.
Thus, the nap is very useful for students - 30-60 minutes of sleep between classes significantly improves the ability to learn.
How to get the maximum benefit from the minimum sleep
So, now we know why an afternoon nap is so useful and what kind of impact it has on the body. It remains to determine how to get from it the maximum benefit.
There are a few rules to help you doze off productively.
- Determine how much time you want to go to sleep. 5, 10, 15 or 20 minutes - all sleep differently. Determine how many minutes you need to be in the realm of Morpheus. Use a bracelet Jawbone UP or a special mobile application. It is necessary to calculate the time of the most siesta. So, if you fall asleep within 10 minutes, and slumber allot 40 minutes, the alarm must be to ring after 50 minutes.
- Do not sleep too long. It is believed that the ideal duration of daytime sleep - 10-20 minutes. This is enough to regain strength and to quickly return to business. However, for many this is not enough. Then it is better to stay in the interval of 90 minutes. After this the break as easily wake up and "reservoirs" memory completely cleaned.
- Select the correct time. The ideal time for an afternoon nap - 13 to 16 hours. But it is very individual. It all depends on your biorhythm and daily routine. So, if you wake up at 10 o'clock, it is unlikely that you will want to take a nap, after only 3 hours.
- Practice. The best way to experience the benefit of an afternoon nap - in fact, sleep. Organize for this comfortable place: quiet and subdued light. And also keep in mind that, according to scientists, napping can be anywhere - in the car, at a desk, on the couch, etc.
These are the general recommendations. Comprehensive information about how to properly nap, presented in our infographics.