There is a new café in Wroclaw where you can… take a nap. This is the first "Vinci Power Nap – Sleep Café" in Poland. How does it operate?
The project popularizes two concepts: work-life balance and well-being. What’s more, it constitutes the answer to the current gap of chillout rooms. In Poland and all over the world, there is a lack of sensible solutions regarding clearing our mind, relaxing and restoring energy during a day. "Vinci Power Nap – Sleep Café" is a place where we've concentrated on an innovative system of regeneration based on a sensory integration. It allows for resting in only several minutes and restoring energy for the rest of the day.
You’ve mentioned about the lack of sensible solutions regarding relaxation. Does this new café mean that people need such places right now? How did this project originate?
"Vinci Power Nap – Sleep Cafe" is the answer to the increasing sense of tiredness and occupational burn-out. This is a completely new form of relaxation, however, it still bases on deep-rooted traditional values. The authorial interior design and the scarves hanging in space resemble dandling in mother's arms as well as cuddling and a feeling of absolute acceptance. It all takes place in the surroundings which brings natural relaxation places to mind.
Can you tell us what power nap actually means?
Power Nap is a term coined by dr James B. Maas, who is a known dream researcher. It defines a 20 minute long catnap. Please note that we charge the batteries of our cell phones and electric cars every day but we tend to forget to load our internal “batteries”. The fastest method of regenerating our body and mind is Power Nap. According to the research conducted by NASA, 10-20 minutes are enough to refresh our mind, strengthen creativity, productivity and accuracy of our decisions, reduce the stress level as well as improve immunity and health.
It would seem that many of us don’t appreciate the power of a catnap. What are the benefits of taking naps during a day?
According to perennial surveys conducted by the experts all over the world, a nap is especially important for people who act under time pressure and whose work involves a great deal of responsibility. Why? First and foremost, it improves health. A catnap during a day stands for regeneration of immunological system. What’s more, it increases productivity, reduces the stress level, makes concentration easier and refreshes the mind.
Is there any research confirming the effectiveness of naps?
The theory of nap effectiveness is confirmed by the research conducted by Marek Rosekind, researcher, who was surveying pilots while working for NASA in 1994. He allowed one group of participants to take a nap in the cockpit whereas the second group was forbidden to do it. In effect, Sleepy Group tended to take snapshot 5 second long naps twice more often during flight and landing. There are other surveys, of course, and even the Nobel Prize from medicine and physiology was awarded in this field. The research concerned a biological clock and sleep.
What are the rules for taking an effective nap?
First of all: time. A catnap should last no longer than 20 minutes. Other important elements are: silence or relaxing music, soothing colors, restrained lighting, right oxygenation, smell, temperature, lulling, or complacency. It’s also important to avoid the state of being hungry. It’s simply about soothing our all senses.