Neurons Napping on the Job

During the in class discussion about dreaming, we briefly talked about how individual neurons and independent regions of the brain can fall asleep during periods of extended wakefulness, reducing effectiveness. Here is a pretty detailed article that delves into the subject a bit further.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/sleeping-while-awake/

I think this information applies acutely to college students, who tend to deprive themselves of sleep in order to fit more into their busy lives. This does not come without a cost to performance however, and from my own experience, I learn much more effectively and efficiently when well rested. In fact, I have been working on my power napping skills lately. I started at the beginning of this semester, about a month ago, and after a little practice at quickly quieting my mind, I can now turn a 20 minute period into what feels like a few hours of sleep. I've managed to replace an afternoon cup of coffee with a power nap, and the effects are much cleaner and last longer. This article discusses some of the other cognitive benefits of napping.

http://io9.gizmodo.com/the-science-behind-power-naps-and-why-theyre-so-damne-1401366016 

Since I've started napping in the middle of the day, I have noticed some pretty profound effects. I can maintain focus for much longer periods in the afternoon, my body feels significantly better (sitting for long periods tends to make my back hurt pretty severely), and I am able be much more productive all the way into the evening. The noticeable increases in efficiency and happiness that I feel after a short nap are enough to encourage me to make time for one if I can. Give it a shot, I'm sure most of us could scavenge 20 minutes from somewhere; facebook, imgur, staring at the wall...