Exhausted after a day’s work? Think taking a cat nap of 30 minutes would help go through the day better? It may not be that bad an idea according to a Scottish-based study, as long as it is a quick one, that is 30 minutes or under.
While we are already aware how quick naps increases our productivity, alertness and psycho-motor abilities. Researchers have linked short naps to increased levels of happiness, naming the state that follows as ‘nappiness’.
The study was conducted for the Edinburgh International Science Festival, in which responses of the ‘nappers’ were measured on a happiness index.
"Previous research has shown that naps of under 30 minutes make you more focused, productive and creative, and these new findings suggest the tantalising possibility that you can also become happier by just taking a short nap” said Professor Richard Wiseman, from the University of Hertfordshire, highlighting that long naps on the other hand can invite various health risks.
In a survey conducted online, 1,000 participants answer psychological questions, about their napping habits. Participants were then given ‘happiness scores’ according to their responses. The study revealed that people who took a brief daytime nap had an average score of 3.67 on a five-point scale. Non-nappers and long-nappers scored 3.52, 3.44 respectively.
The short nappers were also found to have an enhanced sense of well-being as compared to the long nappers and non-nappers. The report further showed 66% of short nappers feeling happy as compare to the 56 percent of long nappers.
According to an earlier Tokyo-based study published two years back, extending day-time naps to an hour or more significantly increases risk of developing Type-2 diabetes.
So go take a break. Snooze out for a while and come back charged up and happy. (Make sure to keep it under half an hour though!)