Wednesday, March 8, 2017

Reasons to Take a Nap

How to do sit ups:  Lie down.  Put your hands behind your head.  Realize it's a good position to take a nap.  Maybe just take a nap.  If you refuse to take a nap, that is resisting a rest.
Seriously, when was the last time you got seven to nine hours of good, deep sleep?  When was the last time you took a nap? Nap you say… Yes, there are Reasons to Take a Nap.
Scientific evidence suggests that naps are good for us and that we should make them a part of our daily routine. There are a cornucopia of benefits to napping.

Reasons to Take a Nap

Napping provides more benefits in the afternoon than Coffee. When you hit the afternoon slump, most of us make our way to the coffeemaker or local coffee shop. We think that a jolt of caffeine will give you a much-needed boost.
However, according to a recent study, you’d be better off finding a quiet spot and put your head down for 10-15 minutes. Researchers found that naps enhanced the recall of words, while caffeine actually impaired motor learning.
Napping May Help You Lose Weight. It all comes back to our cortisol levels, which is very much effected by sleep.
Cortisol (the stress hormone) is produce naturally when life is throwing curve balls. Drinking coffee can create an excess of cortisol to speed around your body. Extra cortisol may lead to increased glucose intolerance, which plays a role in packing on pounds.

Reasons to Take a Nap

Napping May Help Reduce Mindless Food Cravings. The next time you get less than your normal amount of shuteye, keep tabs on how much you eat the following day. Many times lack of sleep is the culprit in creating an imbalance of the ghrelin and leptin (your hunger hormones). Ghrelin triggers appetite, while leptin signals your body that you have a sufficient amount of food energy to work with.
A Stanford study suggests that lack of sleep can lead ghrelin to increase and leptin to decrease. Which creates ideal conditions for overeating and over time, weight gain. Naps lasting 15-20 minutes can help to restore a balance of ghrelin and leptin.
Napping Can Be Important to a Healthy Lifestyle. For optimal health, the American Academy of Sleep Science and the Sleep Research Society recommend that adults get 7-8 hours of sleep a night seven days a week. It is also suggested to be on a routine of regular bed times and wake times.
Napping May Reduce Stress.
Research has indicated those who get 7-8 hours of sleep on a regular routine have decreased stress levels. It was also found that those who took naps when their sleep was below 7-8 hours had decreased pulse rates and blood pressure.
10 Minute Cat Naps Count. If a good 15-20 minute nap isn’t in the schedule, studies have shown that even 5-6 minutes of shut-eye is enough to enhance your memory.
So, grab a pillow, find a quiet corner and dream about all the ways you’ll benefit and Reasons to Take a Nap.

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