Numerous scientific studies praise the benefits of micronaps on our health. It is considered a powerful remedy within reach of the hand, or rather, of the eyelids, which allows you to recover energy in a handful of minutes. At the Sleep and Surveillance Center of the Hôtel-Dieu de Paris, sophrology workshops are even organized to learn the art of the micronap! But what is it exactly? What are the true virtues of the microsiesta? How to practice it? We tell you everything.
What is a micronap?
As its name suggests, the microsiesta consists of an express nap, most of the time not exceeding ten minutes. Caroline Rome, a sophrologist specializing in alertness and sleep disorders, describes the micronap as » a seesaw, a small door to sleep that opens and is accompanied by a letting go on a mental and bodily level «.
The multiple benefits of the micronap
The micro-nap, or “flash nap”, has innumerable benefits for our health. First, it is a natural remedy to use against stress . The micronap acts as a kind of pressure relief valve. It allows making a pertinent classification between the information retained during the day to clear the memory and rest the mind. This effectively helps lower blood pressure and thus reduce accumulated stress. Then the micro-nap allows you to strengthen our immune system . In fact, a study published in 2015 in the medical journal Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and MetabolismIt has been scientifically established that a short nap can effectively alleviate the hormonal impact of a bad night’s sleep on the body and thus support the proper functioning of our immune system. The micronap is also very useful to improve our productivity . Whatever the activity, it increases our reaction time and our ability to concentrate. Another study has also shown this in NASA pilots who were much more alert and efficient after a daily micronap.
How to fall asleep on command?
To fall asleep, we are not all housed in the same boat… For some, as soon as they close their eyes they manage to snuggle with Morpheus, while for others it is a little more complicated… If that is your case, do not pressure yourself to yourself, like «I ABSOLUTELY NEED TO SLEEP RIGHT NOW!!!!!!» «. No! This is the best way to not be able to fall asleep. Close your eyelids and try to relax. Here are some natural remedies to make it easier for you to fall asleep.
Salvador Dali’s technique
For the rest, you also have the technique of the great Salvador Dalí. Imagine if he had a reputation for being an insomniac, so he paid off his sleep debt by taking a micronap. And to achieve it, he had a mysterious secret… “sleeping with a key”. His technique for falling asleep was actually using a key. This is how the famous painter precisely explained the procedure to follow:
«You should sit on a bony chair, preferably Spanish-style, with your head tilted back and supported by the stretched leather back. Both of your hands should hang down beyond the arms of the chair, to which you should weld your own at a state of total relaxation (…). In this posture, you will have to hold a heavy key that you will keep suspended, delicately pressed between the tips of the thumb and the index finger of your left hand. Under the key, you will have previously placed a plate upside down in the floor… When the key falls from your fingers, you can be sure that the sound of its falling on the overturned plate will wake you up. »
How long do you need to «micro-nap» for it to be effective?
Don’t forget the notion of MICRO-nap. You may have already realized this, naps that last more than 30 minutes put us in a coma and can disturb night sleep, even cause insomnia. The ideal average duration of a micronap is between 5 and 20 minutes. This is more than enough to enjoy all its benefits!
When to take a micro nap?
The micro-nap can be practiced as soon as the need arises. For example, when the night was too short or when you feel that stress overwhelms you. It’s also known as the «parking lot» nap because you can practice it wherever and whenever you want, whether it’s in your car, on transportation, or even during your lunch hour. The micronap can be practiced in all waiting situations without needing your pillow. For a discreet «micro-snooze,» you can simply lean your head against the glass or rest your elbows on the desk with your chin in your hands. Neither seen nor known!
Bruno Comby, renowned scientist and author of the book In Praise of Naps, also offers a simple and quick little exercise that can already help us on a daily basis: » Close your eyes , take a few slow, deep breaths, place your hands on your eyelids closed and stretching already offers an energy rush.» It also specifies that «Well-trained people can even go into a daze with their eyes open. Practicing a micronap is a strength, a sign of better self-control .»
So do micronaps speak to you? Have you ever found sleep with a key like Dali or use other secret tricks to fall asleep? Tell us everything in the comments! (even if you count the sheep, we are interested)
