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Now a days every day is national something or other day; from Coconut Torte Day to National Plant a Flower Day, we’ve embraced these crazy traditions. Most recently we celebrated National Napping Day and that is one holiday we can get on board with, as any day that encourages us to catch a few extra winks is cool with us. Our lives are busier than ever and many of us find it hard to get the recommend seven hours a night let alone squeeze in a mid-afternoon doze as well and while some can power through lack of sleep, for many of us it can lead to mental and physical health problems. Cue the splitting headaches, lack of concentration, blurred vision, incessant snacking and potential ill-directed social violence (approach with caution!!) So in honour of National Napping Day we have put together a list of reasons it is completely acceptable to clock up added pillow time and we say if an hour after lunch means you leave the biscuit tin alone and your boyfriend unscathed then bring on the Zzz’s.
Napping Saves Lives
According to the Greeks, napping can actually save your life. In a study of 400 middle-aged men and women research found that participants that took a nap at noon had considerably lower blood pressure than their counterparts later in life and that a midday snooze may also decrease the number of required antihypertensive drugs, or at least that’s what Dr Manolis Kallistratos said and he’s a scientist so it must be true!
Naps Give You Focus
In order to stay sharp we need sleep, but many of us are skipping out on the recommend nightly sleep count. Well this is where naps come into play. Ever woken up after seven hours and felt as if you have been asleep all of five minutes, yeah me too. Well there have been a fair few famous faces in our time who have also championed the power nap over lengthy stays in bed. Take Margaret Thatcher, the baroness famously slept for just two hours each night but was a strong advocate for a daytime nap. Then there is Sir Winston Churchill he managed on just four hours sleep a night during World War Two but was said to have insisted on a two hour nap in the afternoon.
They Chill You Out
The Spanish have been taking siestas for years and boy do they look chilled out! Granted that could have something to do with all the vitamin B they have been absorbing, but according to the Spanish Society of Primary Care Physicians their extensive research shows a short sleep after lunch can in fact reduce stress, as well as improving alertness and memory. They suggest a siesta should be no longer than 15 minutes to half an hour. So make like the Spaniards and get your head down this lunch time.
Naps Are Better Than Coffee
My name is Sophie and I’m a coffee addict, there I said it. I love coffee at all hours of the day, especially on the days I’m low on sleep. It’s actually a well known fact that it’s best to not even address me until after I have inhaled at least two cups in the morning. However, some studies now show that napping is more effective at rejuvenating you than all of those cups of coffee. So instead of those mid afternoon Starbucks runs just curl up under your desk for 20 minutes or so and while you’re at it encourage everyone else to do the same. Not only will you feel wide awake and raring to go, just think of all the cash you will save!
Happy napping, I’m off for a snooze!
