|
"How
beautiful it is to do nothing and rest afterward." --Spanish proverb
Did you know that Monday, March 12, the first Monday after daylight
savings time, was National Napping Day? Who knew there was such a day?
I remember hearing a radio spot about a beautiful actress in her 60's. She was asked about her secret for maintaining her
youthful appearance into midlife. Her response: "Napping." Later I heard a story about Winston Churchill who
apparently shamelessly donned his pajamas and got into bed every day for
an afternoon nap.
That caught my attention, but at the time seemed like a nice but distant
fantasy. However, in the last few years, I've discovered the art and joy of napping. It has made a huge
difference in my energy level and sense of well-being.
I've also discovered there's medical research to support the many benefits of napping
for health and productivity. A mere 15-20 minutes in the afternoon can
make a world of difference. Even if you don't fall asleep, just lying
down quietly is beneficial and refreshing.
Researching the internet on the subject, I found the following article
that sums up the information very nicely, so I decided to reproduce it
for you here.
I invite you to shamelessly experiment with this wonderful health
practice and discover the joy of napping for yourself!
Happy napping and many blessings!
Carol
Napping: Medicine for the Weary
by Janice Wells
Medical research is confirming what Winston Churchill, Albert Einstein
and Napoleon Bonaparte knew all along: when you start to fade, nothing
beats a nap to perk you up.
The Benefits of a Few Extra Zzzzz's
Whether you nap at home or work, as little as a 10- to 15-minute nap can
make a positive difference in how you feel and function.
"The most talked about benefits are improved mood and
performance,"says William A. Anthony, PhD, author of The Art of
Napping and The Art of Napping at Work. Naps, he says, also
improve concentration, alertness, creativity and reaction time.
There are long-term benefits, as well.
"[Naps] tend to reduce the chance of heart attacks, strokes and
certainly stress," explains James B. Maas, PhD, a Cornell University
sleep researcher and author of Power Sleep. He cites one study that
showed a 30% lower incidence of cardiovascular disease in people who
napped. "Changes in metabolism and heart, pulse and breathing rates
are all the sorts of things that are modified and reduced in a period of
quiescence," says Dr. Maas.
Following Your Body's Lead
How long is the ideal nap? Most experts say it's anywhere from 15 to 30
minutes.
"Long enough to reap the benefits and restore some of the sleep debt
that we're all carrying, but short enough so you don't go into delta, or
deep, sleep," says Dr. Maas.
A full sleep cycle lasts about 90 minutes, says Pierce H. Howard, PhD,
author of The Owner's Manual for The Brain. Because nappers
typically reach only the alpha state or light sleep stage, they tend to
feel refreshed instead of sluggish when they wake.
"But if we get into deep sleep, or REM state, and then wake up
before the cycle's over, we feel like a truck hit us," says Dr.
Howard.
The Measure of a Nap
You're ready for a nap when you start feeling drowsy, and that commonly
takes place eight hours after you get up in the morning or 12 hours after
the midpoint of the previous night's sleep. For the average person, that
time occurs somewhere between 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m., which is also the
lowest biorhythm point. Technically, that means body temperature drops
and metabolism begins functioning at a minimum, explains Dr. Howard. As a
result, people become tired and less alert. Statistics also show that
2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. is the time period in which the most industrial,
traffic, and domestic accidents occur.
Making Up for Lost Sleep
"We've cut down on our sleep by 20% over the last 100 years, and the
human body can't keep up with that type of change," says Dr. Maas.
"The best solution is good nocturnal sleep, but as a stop-gap
measure, napping is a tremendous success."
Factors in addition to circadian rhythm cycles and sleep deprivation can
influence the need for a nap. Poor health and eating habits, stress,
exercise (or lack of it), lack of fresh air, and working under artificial
lights can also induce the craving for a nap.
Napping and Sleep Disorders
If you're healthy and do not have a sleep disorder, you should be able to
take a judiciously timed nap and sleep at night without any problems,
says Dr. Anthony. For people with sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea or
narcolepsy, a nap may also prove beneficial.
"I recommend napping for patients with excessive daytime sleepiness
caused by disorders," says Karl Doghramji, MD, director of the Sleep
Disorders Center at Thomas Jefferson University Hospital in Philadelphia.
On the other hand, if a person can't sleep at night from insomnia, a nap
during the day might add to the problem. It all depends on the person.
Workplace Napping
Because many people are at work during the afternoon when the drowsy
feeling sets in, they ignore the need for a nap. Instead, they go to the
water cooler, drink caffeine, or stare at their computer screen and don't
do anything, says Dr. Anthony.
But it makes sense to take a quick nap at work for two reasons. During
that period, workers are not highly productive and are more error prone.
And if you work through that period, some negative aspect of fatigue can
emerge later. For example, once you're home, you might fall asleep in front
of the television, and studies show that evening naps may interfere with
regular nighttime sleep.
Tips for Successful Napping
The experts offer the following tips for incorporating naps into your
life:
Give yourself permission to nap. Don't feel guilty.
Remember all the performance, mood and health benefits you gain by taking
a nap.
Avoid caffeine after your first morning cup of coffee.
Surround yourself with items that make you comfortable, like a favorite
pillow, blanket, soothing sounds and a couch or chair.
Use an alarm clock or timer, so that you won't slip into a deep sleep or
worry about when you'll wake up (which makes it hard to relax).
Nap consistently at the same time every day, even if it's just a quick
rest.
RESOURCES: Anthony WA. The Art of Napping. Larson Publishing; May
1997.
Anthony WA. The Art of Napping at Work: The No-Cost, Natural Way to
Increase Productivity and Satisfaction. Larson Publishing; December
1999.
Howard PJ. The Owner's Manual for the Brain: Everyday Applications from
Mind-Brain Research. Bard Press; January 2000.
National Sleep Foundation http://www.sleepfoundation.org/
Maas JB. Power Sleep: The Revolutionary Program That Prepares Your
Mind for Peak Performance. HarperCollins; January 1999.
Source: Swedish Medical Center, Seattle Washington, www.swedish.org
Learn more...
|
