如果你有小睡片刻的習慣，你可以參考這篇研究報告，使你的睡眠品質更好。或是如果你們公司不允許午睡的，也可以參考這篇報告，跟你們的老闆討論看看，或許他會改變政策，至於可能性嘛…
今天從『Men’s Journal』看到一篇關於最佳短眠的報告，我從中摘一些重點，並將大致語意翻成中文與大家分享。
Napping in general benefits heart functioning, hormonal maintenance, and cell repair, says Dr. Sara Mednick, a scientist at the Salk Institute for Biological Studies who is at the forefront of napping research.
短眠研究的權威，Sara Mednick 教授說：一般來說，小睡片刻有助於心功能運作、荷爾蒙穩定與細胞修復。
Mednick’s most recent research also shows that power naps can lift productivity and mood, lower stress, and improve memory and learning. In fact, Mednick has found through MRIs of nappers that brain activity stays high throughout the day with a nap; without one, it declines as the day wears on. Tell that to the boss next time he finds you passed out at your desk.
Mednick 最近的研究顯示，有效短眠(Power Nap)能夠提升生產力和心情、降低壓力及改善記憶力與學習能力。事實上，Mednick 從短眠者的核磁共振攝影(MRI)中發現，腦能夠一整天都維持高的活動力；而沒有短眠的人，腦的活動力會緩慢地下降。下次當你老闆發現你倒在辦公桌上時， 把這個消息告訴他吧。
There is, however, a pitfall in all this sleeping around. You have to carefully time the duration of your nap in order to avoid waking in slow-wave sleep. This can produce what’s known as sleep inertia. That’s when the limbs feel like concrete, the eyes can’t focus, the speech is slurred, the mind is sluggish. Sleep inertia can ruin your day. You must keep the nap to 20 minutes or slightly less, and if you need the extra sleep, wait until the 50-minute mark. This will safely keep you on the power side of your nap.
然而，雖然如此，睡眠也是有壞處的。你要注意你短眠的時間，不要進入完全睡眠的狀態(slow-wave sleep)。這會造成睡眠惰性(sleep inertia)。讓你的四肢僵硬、眼神無法專注、說話含糊、腦袋遲鈍。睡眠惰性會浪費你的時間。你必須控制短眠 20 分鐘或少一點的時間，並且如果你需要額外的睡眠，最好等 50 分鐘後。這會讓你的短眠維持在有效短眠(Power Nap)。
如何達到最完美的短眠？
1.The first consideration is psychological: Recognize that you’re not being lazy; napping will make you more productive and more alert after you wake up.
1. 首先要有心裡認知：要先知道短眠不是因為你懶散；短眠會讓你更有生產力並且更專注。
2.Try to nap in the morning or just after lunch; human circadian rhythms make late afternoons a more likely time to fall into deep (slow-wave) sleep, which will leave you groggy.
2. 試著在早上或午餐過後進行短眠；人類一天的生理時鐘，會使得在愈接近黃昏的時候，睡意會愈來愈重，這會使你很無力。
3.Avoid consuming large quantities of caffeine as well as foods that are heavy in fat and sugar, which meddle with a person’s ability to fall asleep.
3. 不要吃進太多咖啡因，和含有太多脂肪與磄的食物，這些會使你難以完全睡著。
4.Instead, in the hour or two before your nap time, eat foods high in calcium and protein, which promote sleep.
4. 取而代之的是，在你要短眠前的 1 或 2 個小時前，吃一些高卡路里和蛋白質的食物，這會促進睡眠。
5.Find a clean, quiet place where passersby and phones won’t disturb you.
5. 找一個乾淨、安靜的地方，沒有人會經過，也沒有電話會吵你。
6. Try to darken your nap zone, or wear an eyeshade. Darkness stimulates melatonin, the sleep- inducing hormone.
6. 試著將週遭環境弄暗，或是戴上眼罩。
7. Remember that body temperature drops when you fall asleep. Raise the room temperature or use a blanket.
7.記得，當你睡著時，你的體溫會下降。請提高房間的溫度或使用毯子。
8.Once you are relaxed and in position to fall asleep, set your alarm for the desired duration (see below).
8. 當你要開始短眠前，設定你的鬧鐘在最好的時間(繼續往下看)叫醒你吧。
時間多長才是好的短眠？
THE NANO-NAP: 10 to 20 seconds
Sleep studies haven’t yet concluded whether there are benefits to these brief intervals
10~20 秒。睡眠研究還不確定在這麼短的時間中是有效的。
THE MICRO-NAP: two to five minutes
Shown to be surprisingly effective at shedding sleepiness.
2~5分鐘。已經證明這對去除睡意是非常有效的。
THE MINI-NAP: five to 20 minutes
Increases alertness, stamina, motor learning, and motor performance.
5~20分鐘。這會增加靈活度、精力、學習力及效能。
THE ORIGINAL POWER NAP: 20 minutes
Includes the benefits of the micro and the mini, but additionally improves muscle memory and clears the brain of useless built-up information, which helps with long-term memory (remembering facts, events, and names).
20分鐘。這包含了前面的優點，而且還額外會促進肌肉記憶效應(muscle memory)及喚醒腦中無法建立資訊的區域，這會幫你達成長期記憶。
THE LAZY MAN’S NAP: 50 to 90 minutes
Includes slow-wave plus REM sleep; good for improving perceptual processing; also when the system is flooded with human growth hormone, great for repairing bones and muscles.
50~90分鐘。這包含完全睡眠加上快速動眼睡眠；這對知覺的處理有幫助；並且身體也會充滿荷爾蒙，對於骨骼和肌肉修復有助益。
作者: Christopher Ketcham
發表於 Men’s Journal, January 2006
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