Since becoming an endurance athlete, I have become a big fan of the ‘power nap’.  The act of simply lying down and closing your eyes for a  short sleep, does wonders for boosting energy levels.

I have just finished a big training block and am entering a ‘down week’.   My body is a little fatigued from all the hard training and this morning, I was up early to complete a one hour recovery spin on my bike before work.  By the time lunchtime rolled around, I was feeling very tired and groggy.  I decided I would take a quick nap during my lunch break.

I grabbed a blanket, curled up on the couch and went to sleep.  I told my wife to wake me after 20 minutes.  Before I knew it, there was a gentle nudge on my shoulder.  I had been out cold for twenty minutes.  A couple of minutes after waking up, I was feeling great.  

It is actually quite unusual for me to take a nap on a day with minimal workout effort.  I normally take them after a long bike ride or a long run.  On those occasions, I usually sleep for longer (60-90 minutes) and do so for a different reason; to help my body recover from the significant effort of the workout.  The longer sleep allows me to enter a deep sleep phase, which releases recovery hormones like testosterone and growth hormone.

Today was a just quick twenty minute sleep however.  Next time you feel tired and irritable in the middle of the day, try a quick nap.  You might find that it is just what you need.