Napping at school and the science of chronobiology
September 17, 2019
Do you ever feel that you are not as productive as you used to be?
Everybody feels this way at some point, as our brains need periods of rest in order to work at their full capacity. Even if you have had several days in which your performances were outstanding, there comes a time when you won’t feel capable of delivering at the same level. Thus, understanding the concept of chronobiology, the natural cycles of the body, can mean being able to recognize when your brain needs to rest itself so that you can continue to work at high levels and deliver the best possible results.
Of course, things are more complicated than they seem, as we all tend to work on different schedules. So, it is worth taking a closer look at how our mind works day after day, recognizing when we are most productive. Specialists state that our brain works best at midday. Of course “midday” is not the same for everyone. Commonly you can feel most productive between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., with a fatigue gap until 4 p.m., from where your productivity may get back on track until 10 p.m.. Therefore it seems that a nice nap between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. may be necessary in order to maximize your potential throughout the day. Known as the “post-lunch dip”, this is a period in which our brain slows down significantly. You have probably experienced this, when your mind wants to take a break after lunch instead of keeping up the same pace.
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