QuestionWhat would be the more
effective form of sleep?
A straight say 8 hours of sleep at night or 7 hours of
sleep at night with a few short naps in the day,
amounting to 1 hour?Please quote any scientific
research done in this subject-matter if available.
AnswerDear Hafidz,
I did some research on this one. Now, some studies say eight hours sleep is key, others state that some people feel well on five hours, so it is really what a person needs, not what people tell you that you need.
Interestingly, on napping...it is generally accepted, it seems, as a good idea. There are several "sleep specialists" at places such as University of Pennsylvania, NASA, Cornell university, that all tout that power naps...15-30 minutes....make the brain more active, increase the ability to pay attention and maintain concentration. Longer than thirty minutes are considered long naps, and are more indicative of sleep deprivation, depression and will get the body's rhythm out of whack.
NASA did a study that said a 24 minute nap significantly improved alertness in its pilots. It was also found that the brain was more active in people who take the short power naps.
The reading I did clearly was in favor of the short naps, even recommending setting an alarm if you were afraid you would sleep more than thirty minutes.
I hope that you received the information you were requesting. If I didn't answer to your satisfaction, please do not hesitate to let me know.
Andrea
