Napping: A How-To Guide
2 September 2008
Read by 1663 persons
Dr. François Duforez, a sports doctor and sleep specialist, shares his method for mastering the art of napping, whether in the city or on the beach....
This year, you've poured your heart and soul into your job... And this year, on the eve of your vacation, you're exhausted, worn out, and completely drained. But what's the point of succeeding in life if you can't succeed at sleep? Dr. François Duforez, sports doctor and sleep specialist, offers his method for restoring a normal biological rhythm in three weeks. A sleep training program to practice all summer long.
Exercise 1: Find a Normal Rhythm
You only have one idea before leaving: to enjoy yourself! You've already planned for the first week: climbing Mont Blanc, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and sailing around Brittany... Forget all that! For the vast majority of you, the first week will be synonymous with... sleep. Take advantage of it to repair your body and sleep... Sleep some more. Sleep a lot to overcome exhaustion. "Vacations are an opportunity to pay off your sleep debt accumulated throughout the year," explains Dr. François Duforez. You won't start to emerge from your slumber until after five to six days. Second step (second week): get back into sports. "Doing or resuming sports, on the one hand, helps you regain fitness and, on the other hand, allows you to tire yourself out a bit physically, thus improving the quality of your sleep..." And, in addition, sport is an antidepressant! Finally, the third and last week: have fun, enjoy yourself!
Exercise 2: Napping: A How-To Guide
For some, napping is an art; for others, it's a luxury only affordable during vacations. But for a nap to be worthwhile, favorable conditions are necessary (calmness, coolness on the head), technique, and a little practice. The most tired will opt for the "royal nap." It lasts an hour and a half and is truly restorative, as its duration corresponds to a complete sleep cycle. Sailors, on the other hand, will choose the "navigator's nap." Limited to 20 minutes, it allows one to quickly regain shape, freshness, and energy. Finally, for those who manage their time to the second, there's the "flash nap": 90 seconds of brain relaxation. According to François Duforez, this nap, which is more like a doze, and whose mysteries are not yet fully understood, would be very beneficial for refreshing memory, recovering concentration and lucidity in the blink of an eye, or almost.
Exercise 3: Exploit All Downtime
Finally, the best way to stay in shape is to not be tired, or to be as little tired as possible. Becoming a pro at rest is possible. The secret, as the doctor explains, lies in the ability to exploit even the smallest moments of downtime during the day to capture and store energy.
"Public transport, taxis, airports—thanks to simple relaxation exercises based on breathing, muscle relaxation, energy postures, and mental imagery, it is possible to recover and recharge batteries continuously, anywhere." Including behind your desk!
Antoine Chazal
Posted online September 1, 2008
newzy.fr
This year, you've poured your heart and soul into your job... And this year, on the eve of your vacation, you're exhausted, worn out, and completely drained. But what's the point of succeeding in life if you can't succeed at sleep? Dr. François Duforez, sports doctor and sleep specialist, offers his method for restoring a normal biological rhythm in three weeks. A sleep training program to practice all summer long.
Exercise 1: Find a Normal Rhythm
You only have one idea before leaving: to enjoy yourself! You've already planned for the first week: climbing Mont Blanc, the pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela, and sailing around Brittany... Forget all that! For the vast majority of you, the first week will be synonymous with... sleep. Take advantage of it to repair your body and sleep... Sleep some more. Sleep a lot to overcome exhaustion. "Vacations are an opportunity to pay off your sleep debt accumulated throughout the year," explains Dr. François Duforez. You won't start to emerge from your slumber until after five to six days. Second step (second week): get back into sports. "Doing or resuming sports, on the one hand, helps you regain fitness and, on the other hand, allows you to tire yourself out a bit physically, thus improving the quality of your sleep..." And, in addition, sport is an antidepressant! Finally, the third and last week: have fun, enjoy yourself!
Exercise 2: Napping: A How-To Guide
For some, napping is an art; for others, it's a luxury only affordable during vacations. But for a nap to be worthwhile, favorable conditions are necessary (calmness, coolness on the head), technique, and a little practice. The most tired will opt for the "royal nap." It lasts an hour and a half and is truly restorative, as its duration corresponds to a complete sleep cycle. Sailors, on the other hand, will choose the "navigator's nap." Limited to 20 minutes, it allows one to quickly regain shape, freshness, and energy. Finally, for those who manage their time to the second, there's the "flash nap": 90 seconds of brain relaxation. According to François Duforez, this nap, which is more like a doze, and whose mysteries are not yet fully understood, would be very beneficial for refreshing memory, recovering concentration and lucidity in the blink of an eye, or almost.
Exercise 3: Exploit All Downtime
Finally, the best way to stay in shape is to not be tired, or to be as little tired as possible. Becoming a pro at rest is possible. The secret, as the doctor explains, lies in the ability to exploit even the smallest moments of downtime during the day to capture and store energy.
"Public transport, taxis, airports—thanks to simple relaxation exercises based on breathing, muscle relaxation, energy postures, and mental imagery, it is possible to recover and recharge batteries continuously, anywhere." Including behind your desk!
Antoine Chazal
Posted online September 1, 2008
newzy.fr
