The Recipe for Success is Rest

Why do adults in the western world, unlike many South American and European nations, continue to neglect the benefits of a healthy nap schedule? Evidence proves that naps have many advantages for the mind and body. Naps can help boost alertness and performance. Short naps are also proven to improve knowledge and memory. Yet despite these findings, many people debate whether naps are beneficial in our society.

Critics say that naps are useless in today’s society because they slow down the pace of production, make people lazy, and disrupt sleep schedules. Not only do these opinions lack information, research, and common sense, but they have negatively impacted the view society has on short rest. 

“People who often nap have a greater chance of developing high blood pressure and having a stroke, a large new study has found. This may be because, although taking a nap itself is not harmful, many people who take naps may do so because of poor sleep at night.”

The idea that naps can cause high blood pressure and contribute to having a stroke sounds ridiculous. CNN fails to inform the public on the difference between a healthy and unhealthy napping schedule, instead focusing only on how a person who naps too late at night or irregularly is negatively affected. In the United States, the majority of nappers are elderly, which explains the skewed results in these studies. How can we understand the true benefits of napping on the body and mind when we are testing individuals who irregularly nap and have developed brains? CNN is one of many news sources that mislead the public in this way.

In reality, naps will improve one’s health. Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh found that napping was a factor in lowering blood pressure after mental stress. Because of this, napping will be helpful for those who may have health issues. When the body gets rested, it refreshes and is able to recharge. The study found that the brain goes through four different stages of sleep from the first 10 minutes until the final 90 minutes. In Stage 1, the transition between wakefulness and sleep lasts only five to 10 minutes, during which time eye movements and heart rate begin to slow.Stage two begins at 15 to 25 minutes, where brain waves and heart rate decrease further while body temperature begins to drop. This is still considered a light sleep from which you can easily be awakened. Stage three (60 to 75 minutes after falling asleep): the brain begins to produce slower brain waves known as delta waves. If you awaken during this stage, expect to be groggy, disoriented, and cranky. After 75 to 90 minutes of sleep the brain goes into what reachers call REM sleep (Rapid Eye Movement), heart rate and blood pressure rise, eyeball movement increases and dreaming occurs. These stages differentiate what a heath sleep is versus a destructive one and why that happens. 

Taking naps doesn’t just provide health benefits; they can also offer energy throughout the day. “A short nap of 20 to 30 minutes can often be a healthy alternative to drinking more coffee,” psychiatrist say. Working class citizens and students are expected to be awake and functioning for  the majority of the day, which can be extremely exhausting. Instead of lasting all day without sleep and relying on addictive substances like caffeine, one should take a 30- 60 minute nap. Scientific evidence shows a short rest can boost memory, cognitive function, and energy. 

Since we know naps can increase mental performance, they are useful for increasing knowledge. When tired, the brain does not collect information efficiently like it would when rested. High school and college students who regularly have early mornings, long days of learning, and extracurricular activities are most vulnerable to these effects. Sleep deprivation can be hazardous to one’s long-term health as well as the developing minds of adolescents and young adults.Because of this, naps are very useful to those who have demanding jobs and those who are in school.

“Naps are beneficial for memory because the brain is “offline,” not taking in any new information, yet is actively consolidating memories,” says Marissa Bowman, a doctoral student in the Clinical-Health Psychology program at the University of Pittsburgh. Her research focuses on sleep disturbances.

Taking a nap for too long or too late in the afternoon could make it harder to get high-quality sleep at night. A nap late in the day may have the benefit of reducing your fatigue at the moment, but it could also make you feel less sleepy and make it harder to drift off to sleep at bedtime. Napping should never be used as a substitute for sleep. If you feel the need to nap several times a week, you probably aren’t getting enough sleep each night. Officials recommend finding a comfortable, quiet, and dark place to maximize the benefits. Understanding how the brain functions during different stages of sleep is crucial for the public to differentiate between a beneficial nap and a useless one. 

“The conditions your body requires for proper napping are no different than those required for proper nighttime sleeping.” If you live or work in a noisy or busy area, especially in a metropolitan area, a white noise machine can be a wise investment to help drown out sounds. Buchfuhrer says it’s best to keep the room dark, quiet, and slightly cool”.

Overall, the science behind napping and how to incorporate it into daily life can be challenging, but finding time to nap will improve one’s health, body, and mind. Unlike some substances people rely on to stay focused, like nicotine or caffeine; napping is more beneficial than destructive, a natural resource, and free. In order to live a happy and healthy life, take naps.

References:

Cosentino, B. (2021, April 19). How naps can keep you happy and healthy. Landmark Health. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.landmarkhealth.org/resource/how-naps-can-keep-you-happy-and-healthy/#:~:text=Why%20Nap%3F,and%20improve%20many%20cognitive%20abilities. 

LaMotte, S. (2022, July 25). Napping regularly linked to high blood pressure and stroke, study finds. CNN. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.cnn.com/2022/07/25/health/naps-high-blood-pressure-study-wellness/index.html 

Okaye, A. (2022, December 13). Types of naps. The Sleep Doctor. Retrieved December 17, 2022, from https://thesleepdoctor.com/napping/types-of-naps/ 

Olito , F. (2012, May 8). The benefits of Napping. Harvard Health. Retrieved December 17, 2022, from https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/the-benefits-of-napping 

Preidt, R. (2011, March 9). Napping may help keep blood pressure in check. Reuters. Retrieved December 19, 2022, from https://www.reuters.com/article/idUS227342913820110302