How to have a great day at work: Unlock the power of a midday nap

Rolling into this grey December feels like a fitting time to talk about the power of rest, naps specifically, and the great wellbeing benefits they can bring. That and the fact that one in eight adults currently report feeling “tired all the time” and a quarter feel “exhausted most of the time” – not great.

I spoke to Natalie Pennicotte-Collier, a sleep expert and clinical therapist, who explained to me that to really grasp the importance of napping, first understand that having naps is inbuilt to our physiology. Our sleep patterns have evolved to suit the working world to the extent that what is natural – napping – may now feel alien to us.

We may be persuaded by the power of a nap once we see the health benefits, with plenty of up-to-date science to back it up. Evidence of improved brain health from one UCL study shows that regular napping in midlife doesn’t just protect the brain but slows the rate at which our brains shrink as we age. In this study the brains of people who napped several times a week were more than 15-cubic-centimetres larger than those who never napped.

Napping is also a natural stress relief – changing the brainwaves, regulating and lowering heart rate and blood pressure. It balances physiology and lowers the grip of all the stress chemicals (goodbye cortisol) so much so that the British Heart Foundation are now proposing naps as a preventative cure for raised blood pressure.

Napping is also prescribed for insomnia. This may seem counterintuitive but if you’re sleeping poorly, high cortisol is can be a factor. This causes feelings of anxiety – which can be lowered by a small nap.

Pennicotte-Collier says: “In my world all high performance is powered by mind-body micro naps.” Napping has long been a habit of elite athletes, with a daylight slumber built into their competitive schedule. Working with Team GB to figure out a plan for best sleep naps at the last Olympics, she explains the terminology is actually “micro boost”, meaning simply a micro sleep which has been proven to assist body recovery and promote growth hormones.

The boosts that come from a mini-slumber can improve physical performance, endurance, reaction times and cognitive performance in other high-performance roles too. A recent NASA study showed naps boosting alertness by 100 per cent and performance by 34 per cent in astronauts and military pilots – although you’d hope they weren’t literally sleeping on the job.

Timing is key. The post-lunch, early afternoon period when we feel a slump in energy due to a natural dip in circadian rhythm is the best time, but never after 3pm or it could interfere with your night-time sleep.

It’s not a one-size-fits-all, but as a general rule of thumb the best nap length for adults is 10 to 25 minutes – just enough to boost alertness and rest focus without entering a deep sleep. Much longer than this and you may need to be addressing your whole sleep schedule.

While preferential, a nap doesn’t have to be taken in bed, or even fully asleep (handy if you’re in the office!) – hypnosis, mediation or even some breath work can seriously help, but a minimum of 10 to 20 minutes rest with eyes closed is key, as is being away from tech to soothe the nervous system. For added benefits think of adding nature sounds or ASMR. If you’re at work, try finding a quiet spot, maybe a park bench outside.

Start with just 5 to 10 minutes at the same time each day – as with any practice it’s about consistency and regularity and knowing that seasonality also plays a role too.

All mammals sleep differently, but most need an hour extra REM (restorative sleep) in the Western hemisphere in colder months, so if you’re already exhausted at the idea of party season, think of it as a hibernation season instead.

Nicola Elliott is the founder of the wellness brand Neom, and her book, ‘The Four Ways to Wellbeing: Better Sleep. Less Stress. More Energy. Mood Boost’, is published by Penguin