The Word Wrangler

One thing that amazes me about children is that they seem to have unlimited supplies of energy. Kids, it seems, can just go forever while we adults often struggle just to get through the day.

Why?

When I was a lad nearly all of the neighborhood kids had a nap time in the afternoon. And I suspect that most of today’s parents still put their young kids down at some point in the day for a siesta.

So why has something that seems so beneficial to us at one stage in our lives become so frowned upon at another?

While research is still ongoing, there’s quite a bit of data to suggest that those who take afternoon naps are less stressed, more productive and even less likely to develop heart disease.

Scientists from the Harvard School of Public Health and the University of Athens Medical School in Greece found that midday naps were associated with a drop in risk of heart disease in about a third of the studies 23,681 participants.

The research was conducted in Greece where afternoon naps are commonplace, and followed the participants for over six years.

Data showed that people who napped at least three times a week for an average of a half an hour had a coronary mortality rate 37% lower than those who didn’t take naps.

While it’s commonly thought that people who take naps in the afternoon are less productive, past studies seem to prove that not to be the case. In fact, there’s evidence to suggest that because of lower stress, and higher energy levels afforded by taking naps, those who enjoy an afternoon siesta are actually more productive than their ‘up all day’ counterparts.

What to watch out for

It should be noted that when talking about naps we’re not talking about crashing on the couch for two or three hours, but rather short 20 to 30 minute power naps. Sleeping for a longer period of time can actually have the reverse effect. In addition, taking long naps in the afternoon can affect your sleep at night, which can throw your whole body and mind out of whack.

Now I don’t expect our workaholic based society to change anytime soon. But if you’re able to set your own hours, you might try catching a few midday zzzs a few times a week.

If it’s good enough for your kids, it should be good enough for you.