Feeling impulsive or frustrated? Take a nap

Young African American Female Taking Nap on White Background

It’s becoming increasingly common for people, especially adults, to not sleep an entire night. This can negatively impair a person’s attention span and memory, as well as contribute to fatigue.

In a recent study published in Personality and Individual Differences, researchers at the University of Michigan found that taking a nap may be an effective strategy to mitigate impulsive behaviour or feelings of frustration.

Researchers found that in addition to reducing sleepiness and fatigue, napping could also increase positive moods and improve immune functioning. Interestingly nappers were found to tolerate frustration significantly longer than non-nappers and reported also feeling less impulsive after a 60-minute nap.

So what does taking naps really mean for our daily lives?

Researchers suggest that naps are cost-efficient solutions to increasing work-place safety. Perhaps adding nap pods or quiet rooms in the office or allowing extended break time will also make employees more productive.

Journal Reference:

Jennifer R. Goldschmied, Philip Cheng, Kathryn Kemp, Lauren Caccamo, Julia Roberts, Patricia J. Deldin. Napping to modulate frustration and impulsivity: A pilot study. Personality and Individual Differences, 2015; 86: 164 DOI: 10.1016/j.paid.2015.06.013

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