Taking A 10-20 Minute Power Nap Is Healthy, Here's Why...

It's no surprise that sleeping has always been known as something that is good for the health. However, according to research, daytime sleeping, also known as a catnap or a siesta, could improve the health of a person's heart, can boost the memory, and enhance creativity.

According to The Guardian, researchers at Allegheny College in Pennsylvania have discovered that a short nap can help lower the blood pressure after a stressful situation. Author and chief executive of The Energy Project, Tony Schwartz wrote in The New York Times, "No single behavior has more power to influence overall well-being and productivity; I've come to believe, than additional sleep, assuming you don't currently get enough." He goes on to note that short naps can be a powerful and highly efficient way to temporarily compensate for an inadequate night's sleep.

Tree Hugger also reported that most experts recommended taking 10-20 minutes nap. Anything longer than that can lead to "sleep inertia" which is a deep state of grogginess that is hard to snap out of.

Studies have shown that napping for 10- 20 minutes provides a boost in memory. In one study, researchers had their participants nap regularly for 10-, 20-, and 30- minute periods and found that it improved their performance during cognitive tests of memory conducted in the next two and a half hours. However, those that napped for more than 20 minutes were groggy.

Other studies also revealed that taking short naps lowers the blood pressure. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology discovered that "siesta" is directly related to a 37 percent decrease in coronary mortality, maybe because of a reduced cardiovascular stress related to daytime sleep. Although the researchers don't know if the benefit is from napping itself, or just the expectation of a nap, they figured that the decrease in blood pressure is probably the key factor in the decrease coronary mortality in those who take naps.

James Maas and Rebecca Robbins, co-founders of Sleep for Success, wrote in The New York Times that the mind loves a nap. According to them, napping during the daytime can "enhance creative thinking, boost cognitive processing, improve memory recall and generally clear out the cobwebs."

"You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping," she says. "You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That's what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost," said Sara C. Mednick, PhD, sleep expert and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life.