Carlos Wilson, 55, looks forward to coming home from work during his lunchtime every day to take a 20-minute nap. The New York City executive recruiter who lives only 8 minutes away from his job has an hour for lunch, just enough time for a quick meal and a nap. “I look forward to napping more than I do eating lunch,” Carlos enthuses. “My afternoon power siestas fuel me. I wake up feeling energized and ready to go full-speed at work. However, I hate missing my naps!”
Napping, just the facts
Carlos is certainly not alone in his need for the kind of daily system reboot he experiences every day after napping. Reportedly, About 4 out of 5 U.S. adults (80.7%) reported taking at least one nap of 10 minutes or more in the past three months, according to a recent survey from the sleep app Sleep Cycle and SleepFoundation.org. And 30.5% of adults nap more than once a week. Naps may also get shorter as we age, to about 43 minutes in adults ages 55 and older.
Experts seem to agree that napping, particularly for older adults will provide them with more energy overall. According to Susan Venn, Ph.D., a researcher in sociology and co-director of the Centre for Research on Ageing and Gender at the University of Surrey in the UK, “Sleep is central to health and well-being, but as people get older, the quality of their sleep can deteriorate. They shouldn’t feel guilty or think themselves lazy for having a nap.” The National Sleep Foundation also recommends short naps of about 20 to 30 minutes “for improved alertness and performance without leaving you feeling groggy with nighttime sleep.”
It is a known fact that aging can bring about cognitive decline issues involving memory and the processing of new information. A Johns Hopkins University study revealed that napping for as long as one hour may also help boost memory and thinking skills. Junxin Li, Ph.D., R.N., an assistant professor of nursing at the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, and co-author of the study found that an hour’s nap improves cognition in older folks. On the flip side, according to the study’s results, people who take no naps, short naps, or extended naps experience a decline in cognitive function that is comparable to a 5-year increase in age.
Sara C. Mednick, Ph.D., professor of cognitive science at University of California, Irvine and author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life, is a staunch napping advocate who firmly believes it can practically cure all that ails you. In her book, Dr. Mednick mentions, how this natural ‘product’ is nontoxic, has no dangerous side effects, is absolutely free, and can boost creativity, improve perception, stamina, motor skills, and accuracy; enhances sex, relieves stress, aids in weight loss, reduces heart attack risk, elevates mood, keeps you looking young, and improves decision-making.
Whew!
And speaking of heart attack, according to a large study that was published a few years ago in Archives of Internal Medicine, those who take midday naps at least three times a week are 37 percent less likely to die of heart disease, and working men are 64 percent less likely. “Taking a nap could turn out to be an important weapon in the fight against coronary mortality,” according to the late Dimitrios Trichopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., who was a towering figure in the world of nutrition. The highly esteemed scientist and teacher for more than four decades in the field of cancer epidemiology and prevention led the study and made the case that, “If you have an opportunity to take a nap, then, yes, do it,” he said. “If you’re accustomed to taking a nap, then don’t give it up.”
Healthy napping tips
If you’re thinking about incorporating napping into your daily schedule, here are some tips from the National Sleep Foundation that can help you obtain a healthy and satisfying napping habit:
- Your bed is the centerpiece of the bedroom environment. An ideal mattress should be well-built and comfortable.
- Make sure your sleep environment is restful and free from stimulants like loud noises and light.
- Check the temperature to make sure the room is comfy.
- Find the right time to nap. If you nap too early in the day, you might not be ready to sleep. Naps late in the day tend to interfere with nighttime sleep patterns.
- Keep the nap short to avoid sleep inertia, grogginess, and feelings of displacement that can come from a deep sleep. Set an alarm to avoid oversleeping.
- Try to keep the same napping schedule every day.
When is napping bad?
There might be an underlying health issue if frequently napping is the only way you feel rested. Excessive daytime sleepiness might indicate a sleep disorder, depression, or thyroid dysfunction. A healthcare provider can help diagnose and treat an underlying health condition.
