Do Naps Help or Hurt Productivity?

Remember when you were a kid and your mom made you take a nap and you got really mad and threw a fit, hoping she would change her mind? Now you only wish someone would send you to your room so you could take one. A look at whether naps help or hurt productivity will give you something to think about as you're falling asleep at work.

The length of the nap. The length of the nap has the largest impact on whether or not you'll be more or less productive afterwards. Naps lasting 30 minutes or less—sometimes called power naps—have been shown to increase alertness and compensate for a nighttime lack of sleep. Naps lasting longer than 30 minutes, in addition to taking up more productivity time, can make the napper groggy and tired.

Time of day. Sometimes the gained productivity from a nap sacrifices long-term productivity for short-term gains. A nap too late in the day, for example, will make it more difficult to fall asleep on time at night, which will cause the napper to be more tired and less productive the following day, which will lead to another nap, and so on. The late afternoon nap/late bed-time cycle is a vicious one that should be halted before it reduces long-term productivity.

Benefits of power naps. Specific benefits from power naps that lead to increased productivity include the following:

• Less stress. A short nap can leave you feeling refreshed. Those who are refreshed are less likely to succumb to stress. If you've been irritable and grouchy all day, your nap will also lessen others' stress.
• Increased alertness. An alert worker or parent is a productive worker or parent.
• Improved memory and learning. It's never too old to learn, which means you're never too old to take a nap.
• Increased cognitive functioning. You put your kids in time out when they're having trouble focusing. Similarly, a nap gives your brain a time out.

When and where to nap. The perfect nap time varies by individual and is subject to one's schedule. For most, morning naps and just after lunch will be most efficient. A short nap can be had just about anywhere. For best results, find a clean, quiet place, preferably dark.

Nap restrictions. There are certain individuals who should avoid naps. Insomniacs will only make it more difficult to sleep at night by napping. A better option is to reduce and manage stress. Those suffering from depression will only make things worse by napping.

What is the Difference between Summer and Winter Fuel?

Gas prices fluctuate day to day, but have you ever noticed that they also seem to change with the seasons? As summer approaches, you can usually expect a slight price hike on gas, while winter is usually marked by lower prices at the pump. Here's why.

The seasonal gasoline transition

The seasonal gasoline transition occurs twice every year in the United States. Although it sounds like an ancient oil festival, it is not accompanied by wild celebrations and revelry in oil producing states, such as Texas and Oklahoma. Instead, it is simply when oil companies switch their gas supplies from summer grade fuel to winter grade fuel or vice versa. The seasonal gasoline transition is one of the reasons gas prices rise in the summer and go down in the winter.

The Reformulated Gasoline Program

The Reformulated Gasoline Program (RFG) owes its existence to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments. The switch from winter to summer gasoline blends began in 1995 as an attempt to reduce pollution. Summer gasoline uses different fuel additives to prevent it from evaporating too quickly. How quickly a gas evaporates is based on its Reid Vapor Pressure (RVP). The higher a gasoline's RVP, the quicker it evaporates. All gasoline has to be below 14.7 psi or it would no longer be liquid. Summer gasoline is usually between 9.0 and 7.8 psi. That's something to think about the next time you're filling up the tank.

Higher gas prices in the summer

The ultimate question when it comes to the differences between summer blend and winter blend gasoline is why it goes up so much in the summer. The truth is that there are many factors. Lower RVP gasoline costs more because of the additives that are needed to keep the RVP low. Demand is also higher in the summer. In addition, during the spring months, most energy companies in the United States conduct maintenance on their refineries, which limits their capacity. These maintenance shut downs are part of the seasonal gasoline transition and lead to a limited supply of fuel. This lessening of supply while demand is greater has a large effect on gas prices.

The environmental impact

The justification for lower RVP gasoline blends stems from the desire to lower emissions and smog during the summer months. With less gasoline evaporating into the atmosphere, air quality increases.

Nissan Makes a Difference with $1 Million Donation to Habitat for Humanity

“I can truly say that a miracle has happened to me and my family. For that I say thank you from the bottom of my heart,” said Keisha Crump, one of dozens of proud new homeowners across the country thanks to a Nissan $1 million donation to Habitat for Humanity. New home builds are just one of the Habitat activities Nissan is supporting. The automaker is also funding revitalization projects using sustainable construction practices, donating dependable vehicles to Habitat affiliates, and supporting disaster recovery efforts.

Nissan has been a consistent supporter of Habitat for Humanity over the last nine years, with total donations in excess of $11.6 million. The partnership between Nissan and Habitat for Humanity began in 2005 in response to hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Nissan employees are also backing up the company’s funds with sweat equity, logging more than 70,000 volunteer hours and over 60 homes built since 2006.

At Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville, we are so excited about the progress that Habitat for Humanity and Nissan have been able to make together in enriching people’s lives. To learn more about Nissan’s relationship with Habitat, come visit us in store today!

Image: Nissan

Tips for a Tailgate Triumph

Dedicated fandom is one thing, but dedicated tailgating takes football frenzy to a whole new level. When proper tailgating is involved, football is not a game. It is an event. Nay, it is a lifestyle. Make every tailgate a success with these top tips.

Laminated List

Save yourself a whole trunk of worry by making a list of all the supplies you’ll need for the big day, then check them off as you pack. You can then use the same list when you’re cleaning up to make sure you don’t leave anything in the lot. If you’re a regular tailgater, laminate that list and reuse it weekend after weekend.

Freeze Water Bottles

Easiest trick in the book. Freeze a pack of water bottles the night before, and throw them into your cooler instead of ice. After the sun has done its damage, you’ll be left with cool, crisp, bottled water instead of a sad puddle of dirty water that used to be ice.

Freeze Meat

Prepack and pre-freeze burgers, steaks, and kabobs in their marinade. Your meaty morsels will begin to thaw during transport and they’ll be ready for the grill. This trick also decreases the possibility of spoiling during the drive, especially in the midst of game day traffic.

Balloon Buoy

It’s no use setting up for the party if the party can’t find you! Bring a recognizable helium balloon, or another bright marker, to distinguish your set-up from the rest of the swarming crowds. It may be tempting, but make sure you avoid balloons decorated with your team colors. They’ll be harder to find.

Repurpose Recyclables

Wait before you head for the waste basket! That cup carrier and plastic cups can be converted into a makeshift veggie tray, and that cardboard six pack holder is a fantastic condiment caddy. Best of all, you don’t have to take them with you when you’re done.

Tailgate Toolkit

Imagine this: you cook a mouthwatering burger, place it on a grill-toasted bun, and now all you need is…wait. You forgot the ketchup. The horror. Don’t let this be you. Pack a football-first-aid-kit, including utensils, sauces, napkins, can openers, trash bags, sunscreen, and anything else you may need. Your emergency toolkit could make the difference between a tailgate touchdown and a crash before kickoff.

Plastic for Dishes, Metal for Coal

It’s easy to forget about clean up, until you are left with a bunch of dirty dishes and nowhere to store them. Bring a plastic tub to load up with spoiled dishes, and a metal container to store hot tools and coal you want to reuse. Your clean trunk will thank you.

If you follow all these tips, there’s no doubt your tailgate will top all the rest. Carry on, tailgate champion, and show your rivals how it’s done. 

Nissan’s “Project Titan” Truck is Ready to Set Out on an Adventure

Earlier this year, fans took to the Nissan Trucks official Facebook page to weigh in on “Project Titan,” an effort by Nissan and Wounded Warrior Project® Alumni to create a crowd-sourced 2014 Nissan Titan pick-up truck. Now, the truck is complete and ready to head out on an adventure in the harsh Alaskan wilderness.

The build team started with a solid foundation, a 2014 Titan Crew Cab PRO-4X®. Fans then were able to vote on 10 different areas of customization, including suspension upgrades, wheels and tires, off-roading equipment and electronics. Each stage of fan input gave Nissan direction for building nearly every inch of the modified Titan.

On the outside, the truck is wrapped in a military-inspired digital camouflage design. Facebook users chose 18-inch Fuel Revolver D525 wheels with 35-inch Nitto Trail Grappler M/T tires. Bulldog LED Lighting will illuminate the Alaskan terrain in the dark.

Inside, Project Titan and Wounded Warrior Project embroidery is featured on the Katzin leather-wrapped seats. Silver interior bits were redone in black to give the vehicle a more customized feel.

"The robust Titan serves as a great starting point for an adventure of this magnitude. With the help of Nissan's Facebook fan base, Project Titan is fully equipped for the Alaskan Frontier," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S. "I'm very much looking forward to following the Wounded Warrior Project team as they make their way through Alaska behind the wheel of Project Titan. This is the trip of a lifetime, and these veterans have all the essentials in this custom Nissan Titan to tackle many of the challenges the great wilderness will send their way throughout the journey."

Nissan will be documenting every step of the adventure in Project Titan through a YouTube series that began Sept. 8.

Find out more about the rugged Nissan Titan truck by visiting the Sheehy Nissan of Mechanicsville showroom or talking to one of our sales associates.