Wake Up America - You Need More Sleep
Albert Einstein was a renowned napper. So are world famous athletes like cyclist Lance Armstrong who “naps 90 minutes a day as part of his training.” This according to Sara Mednick, an assistant professor of psychiatry at UCSD School of Medicine and author of “Take a Nap! Change Your Life!”
Awakening to Benefits Behind Napping
In contrast to popular opinion, new clinical research clearly suggests that regular napping enhances mental performance on numerous levels including memory. Participating in the university’s first ever “Nap-In,” UCSD students were awakened to the many virtues of napping. “Research actually shows napping is so good for you,” says Mednick, “and two studies actually highlight it has health benefits as well.”
Snooze You Win
Research is increasingly revealing new benefits behind catnapping, with the most recent studies indicating that napping:
- Restores alertness, memory and mood in young and old.
- Improves memory consolidation more effectively than caffeine.
- Shorter (20 minute) naps do not interfere with one’s nighttime sleep.
- When done prior to activities like studying and athletics, it can improve energy levels and performance.
According to Mednick, some 40% of Americans sleep less than seven hours each night, though they require more. Too little sleep can have harmful health effects, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, higher risk of obesity, stress, and depression.
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Steve Daitch is the Social Media Manager at Mind360.com - a leading scientific brain training games developer for boosting your memory, attention, executive functions, reasoning, and other key cognitive skills. As a Mind360 visitor you simply select your own Personal Training Program, which comes complete with a personal coach and constant feedback to ensure your swift and visible progress.
