Need some energy boost either at work or at home? Power nap is the answer. Taking a 10 to 20 minute afternoon nap between 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. does the magic for you - giving your cognitive and affective well-being a lift.

The Science behind Power Naps

Having a quick afternoon nap reboots your brain, boosts your energy levels, enhances memory, and improves creativity. According to Sara C. Mednick, PhD, sleep expert and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life, daytime naps can be one great way to treat sleep deprivation. "You can get incredible benefits from 10 to 20 minutes of napping. You're able to 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," she explained.

On top of these bunches of benefits, regular napping aids in balancing your hormones, reducing stress levels, and even lessening the risks of certain cardio diseases.

Four Kinds of Healthy Daytime Nap

Plan a short nap with a loved one.

Need to stay up late for work, an event, or a review session? Preemptive afternoon sleep is for you. This is where you take a nap even before you feel sleepy. Doing this with the person closest to your heart makes you fall asleep easier and gives you an instant relief.

Feeling really cranky and sleepy at work? 

Get a relief from a so-called emergency napping. This type of nap shall make you be more engaged with your task and allow your creative juices flow again. But don't forget to set an alarm with a quick snooze for you surely don't want to get some real good sleep and be caught by your boss - sleeping for hours, do you?

Say goodbye to this 'mid-day syndrome'.

Reward yourself with habitual napping. It's like having your biological clock sleep and wake at a certain time to give you a huge boost every day.

It feels like heaven.

Appetitive napping works for those who merely want to indulge in the perks power naps.

All these kinds of naps allow you to maximize your learning capacity, alertness, and optimum well-being. You just need to set a specific time to take a nap so your biological clock can get used to it. Then, find a cozy place and a comfy position to execute your plans.

Taking a Nap at Work

Since many studies have already identified the benefits of taking a nap, you most likely need to tell your boss and colleagues that you are up to a 10-20 minute nap. Better yet, encourage the gang to do the same as nap is really found essential in boosting one's productivity and performance - reviving your senses and keeping you alert for the rest of the day.

Some companies nowadays like Google and Apple invest in a little time to allow their employees to take a quick nap to improve their efficiency and work performance. Such investments like this can ridiculously give the company a whole lot more benefits. Now, who wouldn't want to work for Google or Apple?

How to take a POWER NAP? Watch this video.

Combat stress and fatigue by these power nap punches.

Then, say 'rise and shine' - feeling rejuvenated and energized.