You watched late and the time is running. Should we resign ourselves to stay awake or try to sleep a little despite the approaching awakening? A study published in the journal Scientific Reports Bring a clear answer: even after a white night, sleeping a minimum remains preferable, provided you calibrate your rest well.
Why a few hours of sleep are better than nothing
After an prolonged evening, there are many who fear going to bed for only two or three hours. Dr. Isabelle Arnulf, neurologist and sleep specialist at La Pitié-Salpêtrière, explains: “People who are going to sleep after a long evening fear sleep inertia. If they have a few hours of sleep in front of them, it is indeed possible that they quickly reach deep sleep, from which it is difficult to get out when installed and who causes confusion up“. To check if these fears are founded, researchers have studied different recovery strategies after a sleepless night.
The scientific experience which gives the ideal duration
The study focused on 41 participants divided into three groups, each testing a different recovery mode:
- No sleep after the sleepless night;
- A two -hour nap;
- Two split naps: one of 90 minutes before wake up, followed by another 30 minutes later during the day.
The results show that the best formula is to sleep 1:30 before waking up, then adding a nap of 30 minutes later. The researcher Sanae Oriyama, professor of nursing sciences at the University of Hiroshima and the main author of the study, specifies: “A first 90 -minute nap followed by another 30 -minute is a strategic combination to maintain lower fatigue levels and faster reactions“According to scientists, this organization reduces drowsiness and improves concentration despite the lack of global sleep.
Respect cycles to recover better
Behind this efficiency hides the importance of sleep cycles, which last about 90 minutes. Chronobiologist Damien Davenne recalls: “If you wake up in the middle of a cycle, the alarm will be very difficult. While if you wake up at the end, the brain is already activated“. It is therefore better to adjust your rest to coincide with the end of a complete cycle. Even after a white night, a well -structured short sleep can limit the effects of fatigue and allow you to find a correct state of vigilance more quickly.