Top Reasons You Should Nap More

Healthy Living

Kids hate to take them and parents beg for one, what are they? NAPS!  If you are the type of person that takes a daily nap, then you are definitely already following what new research shows that we should be catching our zzzz's during the day.

Here are some of the top reasons why researchers say you should be taking a nap:

• Napping makes you a more enjoyable person. One researcher said, "Napping is a means to rejuvenate the mind and body and has a positive effect on quality of life. Resting the body for even a short period of time allows the body's systems to rest and rebalance. This translates into more efficient as well as more rewarding work, which in turn makes work more enjoyable."
• Napping increases your productivity on the job. "Napping improves alertness, sharpens memory, and reduces fatigue - all of which makes us more productive"

Napping can reduce stress and anxiety. "In working people who are stressed (physically and/or mentally), their bodies produce substances such as cortisol, catecholamines, and neuropeptides that aid them in getting things accomplished on a short-term basis without harmful effects. However, long-term, unopposed production of such substances can adversely affect the immune system and vital organs, causing many medical conditions - including anxiety, depression, and memory/concentration problems. Napping both decreases the production and negates the effects of these substances and helps prevent them from damaging tissues of the body."