Today is National Napping Day. Mon, Mar 11, 2019
Daylight Saving Time means more afternoon sunshine, but that may have been little consolation to those who lost an hour of sleep Sunday morning. If you're still groggy from losing that precious hour, then take advantage of National Napping Day, observed today.
Dr. William Anthony, a Boston University professor, came up with National Napping Day in 1999 that would highlight the benefits of taking a quick nap.
In several studies, it has been shown that even a 20 or 30-minute nap can have a positive effect on mental alertness and cognitive ability. Improvements in alertness, productivity and mood have all been shown to improve with this type of snooze.
Some facts about Naps:.
- Napping three times a week results in a 37% decrease in heart related deaths
- Naps can improve performance by 34%
- In Ancient Rome, it was common to take a nap after lunch
- 60 million Americans are sleep-deprived at any one time
- Humans are the only mammals to plan or delay naps
- Just thinking about a nap can lower blood pressure
Though there are some of us who are just not the napping kind, if you can reap those benefits, find a cozy spot for 10 minutes or so on National Napping Day.
