This was my view when I took a very rare Sunday afternoon nap today. We have a hammock under the crabapple tree in my backyard that I took advantage of on this beautiful, warm not hot, dry afternoon. It's a rare day in August when you find such extraordinary weather here in beautiful rural New Jersey.
Taking a short nap is one of the best thing you can do for your body, mind and spirit, especially if you are sleep deprived. The problem I have when I nap is that I fall victim to "sleep inertia", which is that heavy grogginess you feel when you sleep longer than 15-30 minutes. Instead of feeling refreshed, you feel tired and out of sorts. However, if you are able to limit your nap time to a short cat nap, you can enjoy several benefits that may surprise you.
This article talks about a study done on men and women ages 50-83 and the positive impact napping had on the amount and quality of their sleep and the results of the cognitive assessments performed on them at the end of the study.
The bottom line is...a little midday shut-eye is just what the doctor ordered. I may try to get more of it myself and maybe you should too.
Taking a short nap is one of the best thing you can do for your body, mind and spirit, especially if you are sleep deprived. The problem I have when I nap is that I fall victim to "sleep inertia", which is that heavy grogginess you feel when you sleep longer than 15-30 minutes. Instead of feeling refreshed, you feel tired and out of sorts. However, if you are able to limit your nap time to a short cat nap, you can enjoy several benefits that may surprise you.
- it can lower your blood pressure and reduce your risk of coronary mortality
- it can calm your nerves
- it can increase alertness - take a short nap before a drive to reduce drowsiness
- it can improve your memory
- it can enhance your creative thinking - think Thomas Edison
- it can enhance your willpower
- it can be better than coffee to enhance performance and increase learning skills
This article talks about a study done on men and women ages 50-83 and the positive impact napping had on the amount and quality of their sleep and the results of the cognitive assessments performed on them at the end of the study.
The bottom line is...a little midday shut-eye is just what the doctor ordered. I may try to get more of it myself and maybe you should too.
As a health coach, I work with women who are facing serious health challenges like heart disease, metabolic syndrome and diabetes or who have been diagnosed as having a precursor to a serious health issue such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol or high blood sugar. I help them make food and lifestyle changes so they can get healthy, live longer and enjoy a fuller, happier, more energetic life. If you would like to have a free consultation about the health challenges you have and the improvements you would like to see in your health, click here to schedule a no strings attached call.
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