Sleep by itself hasn't been studied a lot by scientists as they are not sure what determines why we feel sleepy. Furthermore, taking surveys wouldn't be accurate as many of us are afraid to declare that we sleep too long or we sleep only after 2am in the morning. (Nevertheless, I shall propose The Energy Audit survey to everyone who is concerned about improving their life/sleep.)
Yet, what we all know that sleep has many restorative capabilities. It somehow 'attracts' all the cosmic energy around you and install it back into your body allowing you to feel refreshed every morning. But wait, do we feel refreshed every morning? Somedays, it seems that we have not gotten enough sleep even after sleeping for 12 hours. We get out of bed feeling so so so tired that we could literally fall back and enter the deep trance within seconds if not for our school or job.
Here is the main problem, many of us are not sleeping the right way and many more are just not sleeping enough. The latter is simple to solve; sleep for at least 8 hours are day. Yup, 8 hours. Not two 0s joined vertically. For those of you who still haven't internalized it, it is EIGHT hours a day. As for the former problem, the key is to ensure you keep a constant routine. Try not sleep sleep and wake-up at different times for every day of the week. It has something to do with your biological clock. The lady below explains it succintly.
Another problem many of us encounter is that we start feeling tired and grumpy by around the afternoon. We have worked at full speed for the first half of the day just to realize we have another half to go. You might have heard the prowess of an afternoon nap but I am sure you haven't tried it before.
The afternoon nap (or some people call it power nap) should ideally last for around 20 to 30 mins. This allows your cognitive capabilities to revive but also ensures you don't fall into too deep a sleep such that you only wake up after 3 hours. If you have trouble sleeping for just 20 mins, try this: take in a deep breath for around 2 counts and exhale for around 4 breaths. Also, don't sleep on your sides or anything, you are just wasting your energy as the muscles at the side will need to flex. The best way to relax is to sleep on your back with your hands by the side. Empty your mind now. Don't focus on too many things. If you want, just remember one problem you really are dying to solve but haven't been able to for the past 2 weeks. Within a few minutes, you should enter your dream state and thats when the real recovery starts.
15 mins later, you are all ready to fight the next half of the day. If you mind feels a bit fuzzy, chant some mantra to clear that buzz in your head. I like to iterate "Aum" but it need not be religious. You can use other mantras like "Ma Ra Na Tha" or "O Mi To Fu". All of these have special powers. Researchers have found that your body vibrates at 18Hz (below your hearing range) when you say it yourself and somehow, this frequency has some special energizing effect. (Read more here) You have to try it for yourself to believe its effectiveness.
A few companies are already experimenting with this idea. Google has installed 'sleep pods' in their office. I am sure the whole tech industry will follow suit soon. I think few banks are also trying it out. All of them have realized that their employees become less productive over time. They are not able to think on their feet - very important especially if you are in Wall Street I believe.
So guys (and gals), don't be afraid to sleep too long. Sleep well to maximize your brain power.
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