Power Naps Prevent Heart Attacks And Strokes?
Some things stay with you forever. 18 years ago when I first joined the Morning News on KIT I wasn't exactly what you would call a "morning person". The early hours were killing me (still do!) and I found myself often in need of a nap.
One mid-morning I stretched out in my office for a closed door cat nap and got caught by one of my co-workers who snapped a picture and shared it with the boss. She bought me a pillow and a "blankie" as a joke. But ever since that day, I have used every opportunity to post stories about the emotional and physical benefits of napping!
Here is another!
A new study has found that taking naps can be very good for your heart. VINDICATION -AGAIN!!
The Swiss study published earlier this week in the journal Health tracked 3,462 Swiss adults between the ages of 35 and 75 for a little more than five years.
When the study began, 58% of participants said they had not napped in the previous week, while 19% said they took one to two naps. Around 12% took three to five, while 11% took six to seven. By the end, they concluded that those who took a nap once or twice a week had a 48% lower risk of suffering a heart attack, stroke or heart failure than those who did not take naps. DOUBLE VINDICATION!!!
Although they did not find a definitive answer as to why occasional naps benefit heart health, study leaders suggest it's something as simple as stress relief from insufficient sleep.
Whatever the reason, I feel justified for my naps...and the country of Japan agrees.
The Japanese take it to such a level that they've actually got a word for it: inemuri , which is a mash-up of the verb for being present and the verb for sleeping.
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