Time for a nap?
Is napping good for you? National Sleep Awareness Week may have been in March, but the benefits of a daily nap continue all year round!
Seriously though…the health benefits from a quick siesta in the day are incredible. I’ve always been a super-fan of an afternoon rest. My body clock has been like this since I fell asleep in class after lunch at the age of 13 (I credit my Maths teacher for ingraining this habit, teaching me to divide my day with a siesta whenever I can). Phew… I always felt I was being lazy, but it turns out it’s healthy for me. Fabulous!
The siesta culture
The term “siesta” is used in some romance-language countries to refer to a nap typically taken in the early afternoon. The term derives from the latin hora sexta (“sixth hour”, counting from dawn) and the custom continues today in many countries with Mediterranean climates like Spain, Italy and Greece, mainly because of the lethargy experienced during the hottest hours of the day (and perhaps in combination with a hearty lunch!)
Is napping good for you?
A University of Athens six-year study of 23,681 Greek men & women found that a 30-minute siesta at least three times a week lowered the risk of heart-related death by 37%. Among working men who took midday naps, there was a staggering 64% reduced risk of premature death (36% in the non-working group).
They found that a siesta:
Other reported benefits included: Less risk of stroke, diabetes, arthritis and premature raging (this one was a wonderful typo, but perhaps I am much less grumpy after a sleep!). Attention levels are improved, and the “napper” experiences lower stress and anxiety.
In other words, yes, napping is very good for you!
Make the most of your lunch break
Please try to rest properly throughout the day! Perhaps you can lie with your knees-up, the best way to release back pressure (called semi-supine). More info on how to rest the spine lying down here.
I try to listen to my mother who would grab twenty minutes’ rest after lunch on the office floor. If you can’t catch some zeds at work, then even ten minutes of quiet rest time or meditation may help instead.
Well, I’m off for a nap before my next client!
– Jeremy English
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