Why We All Should Nap

How do you get through the afternoon work day? A cup of coffee? A walk outside? A light lunch without carbohydrates (for other reasons, maybe)? Imagine if everyone could curl up under a blanket for 45 minutes after lunch time.

Not everyone is a napper. Those who are love it. Those who aren’t should consider napping once hearing the mental health benefits that come from a good 45-minute nap.




Napping lowers blood pressure. The theory behind why this is so is that napping forces relaxation and alleviates stress; in so doing, a nap reduces blood pressure.

According to British therapist Dr. Narina Ramlakhan, calming one’s mind works wonders for mental health, even if one doesn’t fully enter REM sleep (necessary deep sleep).

Napping improves brain function. Volunteers from a study at a University of California took a 90 minute nap before completing a written test. These volunteers performed much better than the volunteers who did not nap.

“At a neuro-cognitive level, it [a nap] moves you beyond where you were before you took a nap,’ stated the study leader, Dr. Mathew Walker.

Napping improves memory. Researchers believe that a nap allows the body to process short-term memories, making one more alert and, therefore, explaining the improved brain function.

The best time to nap is early afternoon between 1pm and 3pm. Napping should not interfere with a regular sleep schedule, so don’t nap too late in the day.

We all know that most adults do not get enough sleep. Perhaps we should learn from Spain's 'siesta' culture and instigate a designated 'nap time' into the U.S's work culture.

Dubious? Study some words in an unknown language before a short nap. What were your results?