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I'm all for this - especially TODAY! LOLHealth Experts: Adults Should Practice Nap Time
Experts: Customized Naps Can Help Almost Anyone
POSTED: 3:19 pm EST February 12, 2007
UPDATED: 5:28 pm EST February 12, 2007
WASHINGTON -- Health experts said there is growing evidence that catching some shut-eye in the middle of the day is good for the mind and body.
Experts said that between the Internet, e-mail, cell phones, Blackberries and other electronic devices, people live in a 24-7 world, often sacrificing sleep.
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In response, researchers have begun focusing on an old concept: the nap.
"I found that naps were helping people as much as a full night of sleep on these cognitive tests I was giving them," said sleep researcher Sara Mednick.
Mednick, who's written a new book called "Take A Nap: Change Your Life" said she believes a lot of people could benefit from a regular nap.
But the concept is often not an easy sell.
"When I take naps it ruins my sleep at night, so I don't take naps during the day," said one person.
However, Mednick, a Harvard-trained researcher, said she has focused her career on figuring out exactly how and when to nap to get the maximum benefit.
"You can actually decide on what time of day you want to nap, by what kind of thing you want to get out of your nap," she said.
Mednick said there are several stages to sleep and recommends customizing a napping plan. For example, she said, those who need an energy boost should try a 20-minute power nap.
"You can take that at any time during the day, because stage two doesn't really change, it's kind of a constant throughout the day," Mednick said.
The researcher also made a suggestion for those wanting to be more creative.
"That would be a more REM rich nap, so that would be earlier in the morning," Mednick said.
Mednick said naps can also help anyone wanting to improve memory.
"That would probably be more in the afternoon because you need more slow wave sleep."
Mednick said the ideal nap should last about 90 minutes because it contains all the stages of sleep but a nap as short as five minutes can be beneficial.
She also said that people should not nap within three hours of bedtime because that can ruin a night of sleep.
"There are always times in a day when we can find little breaks, and it doesn't have to be for that long," she said.
Debra Dillon is a consultant who advocates afternoon naps.
"For me, I get re-energized and can plow through the rest of the day with a clear head," Dillon said.
That's something Mednick said she believes a lot of people could discover.
"The truth is, you'll work better, you'll be more productive and you'll get more done and you'll feel better," she said.
Mednick said that since there are several stages to sleep, one can use them to dictate the best time for napping. For instance, those who wake up in the middle of slow-wave sleep will probably feel groggy, she said. A shorter or longer nap can prevent that.
Mednick also said that for those who contend that they cannot find time to nap should consider that it takes about the same amount of time to power nap as it does to go and get a cup of coffee.
Copyright 2007 by nbc4.com.
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