Power naps enhance athletic performance, new study shows
A 30 to 60-minute midday snooze boosts physical and cognitive functions and alleviates fatigue, according to research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine
A recent study published in the respected British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed evidence from 22 studies involving nearly 300 male athletes aged 18 to 35. The study’s findings indicated that athletes who took naps between 12:30 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. experienced improved cognitive and physical performance, assuming they slept normally at night.
A recent study published in the respected British Journal of Sports Medicine analyzed evidence from 22 studies involving nearly 300 male athletes aged 18 to 35. The study’s findings indicated that athletes who took naps between 12:30 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. experienced improved cognitive and physical performance, assuming they slept normally at night.
The obvious question here, is whether or not any nap will do so long as it occurs between 12:30 p.m. and 4:50 p.m. For example, personal experience suggests that a bog standard afternoon slacker's nap doesn't dramatically improve cognitive and physical performance, unlike coffee and dark chocolate.
It's a serious matter because it is not at all obvious that our MPs know anything about power naps and members of the House of Lords appear to know even less. They seem far more likely to recharge their low voltage batteries with a slacker's nap, especially when something important is being debated.
9 comments:
Is that BST or GMT?
If this is true will footballers be told to take an afternoon nap before a floodlit evening game? Indeed, do they do that already?
dearieme - it seems suspiciously precise either way, but I don't know if footballers have a nap before a floodlit game. If they don't, it suggests the whole notion might be dubious.
Anthony Giddens used to make the point that these days we are all "on a diet"; meaning that we no longer eat what is put in front of us, we are all eating for a purpose. We are doing it to lose weight, gain muscle, have more vitality, save the planet, sleep better, save crap producers, and so on.
It's a shame that this has now infected the afternoon nap. There are few things more pleasant than letting your thoughts wander over tea and biscuits after washing up, then settling deeper into the armchair...relaxing...and...
So "nearly" 300 "athletes"?
Were these athletes moving about so quickly that it was hard to count them?
And there were 22 study groups monitoring them. You would think that somebody could have counted the athletes.
Why is the number of study groups so precise? Did they not move so that they could be counted.
Hmm. I smell shite. Look for that on line.
Sam - that's a good point, everything must have a purpose defined and promoted by experts and pundits. I don't often have a nap unless I'm ill or it has been a long, dull day where we can't go out. I'm probably not doing it right.
Doonhamer - it's the Climate Change Flexible Precision (CCFP) approach, precision where you need it and when you need it.
Believe in them ... in fact, scheduled one a day, twenty minutes, and had my 2IC call it an appointment for anyone who asked. Recharged, the second half of the day was a doddle.
James - I couldn't do that. Doing something seems to be what keeps me recharged, even mowing the lawn.
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