Take a Nap to Improve Your Health

In America, we attach many negative stigmas to the idea of napping. Current research shows that taking afternoon nap has many health benefits.

The old fashion nap has taken on many nicknames from catnapping to power napping. The good news is that if you take afternoon naps, you are in good company because many of the world's greatest minds napped. For example, Albert Einstein, Leonardo Da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Johannes Brahms, John D. Rockefeller, Eleanor Roosevelt, Gene Autry, Nikola Tesla, Bill Clinton, John F. Kennedy, Napoleon Bonaparte, Salvador Dali and Sylvester Stallone valued their afternoon zzz's. -- Just to name a few.

Benefits of Power Napping
* Reduces Stress
* Increases Productivity
* Increases Alertness
* Improves Memory and Learning
* Boosts Creativity
* Promotes Better Judgment and Motivation
* Increases Reaction Time
* Decrease Irritability

The Three Keys to Napping
By observing three key rules, you will gain the full benefits of your afternoon catnap. The keys are the proper length, the proper time, and the proper atmosphere.

Proper Length
Your afternoon siesta should last between 15 to 20 minutes. This length of time gives your body to chance to recharge its engines. Any more than 15 to 20 minutes will let your body slip into the deeper states of sleep therefore causing grogginess. This length of time is enough to gain the benefits of increased alertness and productivity.

Proper Time
The best time of day for napping is about 8 hours after you wake up in the morning and 8 hours before you go to bed at night. This time is perfect to enjoy the restfulness of an afternoon and early enough that it will not make it difficult to sleep at your regular bedtime.

Proper Atmosphere
The right surroundings will aid in you drifting pleasantly off to slumber-land. Make sure that you find a comfortable place for your nap - quite and without disruptions. Also, make sure that the temperature is good for sleeping by adjusting the room temperature or having a blanket available.

Additional Tips
Set an alarm - An alarm is useful so that you will not oversleep.
Take a few deep breaths - A few deep restful breaths will send you off to dream land more quickly.
Create a ritual - Make napping a daily habit so that it's easier to drift off at that time.
Get rid of distractions - Close your door and turn off your cell phone.
Take a few moments to reorient yourself - Don't try to jump up after your powernap and slam your body into high gear. Take a moment to stretch while breathing deeply.

The positive benefits of napping greatly outweigh any of the negative stigmas that our society created towards catnapping. Cast off these stigmas and start to reap the benefits napping today.