12 | www.Ups tatePhys i c i ansSC . com | www.Hea l thL i nksUps tate. com POWER UP WITH A NAP By Linda L. Esterson We’ve all experienced it. That early afternoon, post-lunch lull that can mean the difference between tremendous productivity and exasperating sleepiness. For some, the fix is simple: a power nap. A nap is considered any act of sleeping for a short period of time. A power nap is limited to under 30 minutes, according to Jessica Lee, M.D., a double board-certified otolaryngologist and head and neck surgeon with Charleston ENT & Allergy. These quick respites can be just what’s needed for those who don’t get enough sleep at night. On average, humans require seven to nine hours of sleep to maintain the body’s circadian rhythm, the natural process that regulates the sleep-wake cycle. “That’s not always feasible for all of us all of the time,” said Allison Wilkerson, Ph.D., clinical director of the Sleep and Anxiety Treatment and Research Program in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Medical University of South Carolina. “Life gets in the way for most of the population, so power naps can be beneficial.”
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