Restoring Willpower with the Power Nap Method

Problem

Some time ago, I wrote an article about Willpower - the art of concentration for developers. To summarize for those who haven't read it, the article mentions the power of willpower - the root of concentration. If you know how to preserve your willpower, you will have more time to focus on important tasks.

Sleeping is the best way to restore your body, but not everyone has the opportunity to sleep anywhere, anytime. In addition to saving willpower, there is another way to restore it, which is the Power Nap method - a method that only requires 15-20 minutes but immediately brings concentration benefits. Let's explore it in detail in the article below.

What is Power Nap?

Power Nap is a method to restore the brain, eliminate fatigue, and drowsiness by closing your eyes and resting, unlike a regular nap. A 15 to 20-minute Power Nap can be compared to a 3-hour night sleep, with the ability to restore focus for up to 150 minutes. The secret lies in the rhythm of sleep, alternating between 90 minutes of deep sleep and 20 minutes of light sleep. Power Nap significantly restores willpower by tricking the brain into thinking it has taken a short nap.

This method is recognized by many countries. In Japan, some companies even have a "Power Nap" policy for employees to restore their brain function after long hours of work.

When you fall asleep, you enter an "unconscious" state. Sleep requires various conditions such as the time before falling asleep, the environment, sleeping position, etc., so with a short amount of time, it's difficult for us to quickly fall asleep. Not to mention, after waking up, it takes a few minutes for the mind to be alert and return to work as normal. On the contrary, Power Nap simply involves closing your eyes and breathing slowly, immediately becoming alert within seconds.

How to Perform a Power Nap

The biggest advantage of Power Nap is that it can be performed at any time, only requiring a small amount of time. The execution is straightforward – simply close your eyes and breathe slowly. You can lie down, close your eyes, and breathe slowly, focusing on your breath. Alternatively, you can sit on a chair in a comfortable position and perform the same steps. If possible, set an alarm for approximately 15-20 minutes to wake yourself up.

By doing this, it is possible that you may fall into a light sleep during the Power Nap process. If you fall asleep, remember that it will take some time to fully wake up after closing your eyes. If you happen to wake up during deep sleep, you will feel groggy instead of alert.

Since learning about Power Nap, I often apply it during lunchtime at the office. If I have more time, I will try to take a nap for 30 minutes. Otherwise, I will use this method. After that period of time, I feel less tired compared to doing nothing. If possible, "reward" yourself with a cup of coffee to quickly get back to work with the highest productivity.

Conclusion

Power Nap is a method of closing your eyes and breathing slowly without actually sleeping to quickly restore willpower. It has been proven effective through studies and can be applied whenever and wherever necessary. If you have difficulty sleeping, dislike napping, or have little time to rest, try applying this method and leave a comment below about its effectiveness!