BOSTON, Sept. 5 (UPI) -- There is a difference between nodding off due to sleep deprivation and power napping, a U.S. newsletter says.
The Harvard Men's Health Watch says people often fall asleep when they least want to -- at their desks or worse, behind the wheel -- when sleep deprived. Sleep deprivation may be caused by not devoting enough time to sleep or by medical conditions such as restless legs syndrome, sleep apnea, depression or an under-active thyroid.
Power napping -- voluntarily napping not due to sleep deprivation, illness or aging -- for as little as 20 minutes can improve alertness, psychomotor performance and mood. But even power naps have a few risks, including night-time wakefulness and sleep inertia -- the groggy disorientation that may come with awakening from deep sleep -- and night-time wakefulness.
The Harvard Men's Health Watch suggests ways to benefit from a quick snooze without being caught napping:
-- Plan to take your nap at a good time in your daily sleep-wake cycle; for many people, some time between noon and 4 p.m. is best.
-- Don't sleep too long; a 20- to 40-minute nap may refresh without disturbing nighttime sleep.
-- Give yourself 10 to 15 minutes to wake up fully before resuming a demanding task.
