Napping benefits

I like to post about napping, because I've always been one to nap--my mom did too. This study has a little age on it--9 years, but I was wondering if I would work a few math problems before I napped, I might get better at math. Sleep On It | NIH News in Health

“We’ve learned that sleep before learning helps prepare your brain for initial formation of memories,” says Dr. Matthew Walker, a sleep scientist at the University of California, Berkeley. “And then, sleep after learning is essential to help save and cement that new information into the architecture of the brain, meaning that you’re less likely to forget it.”

Nap study mentioned by John Ed Mathison, Got a Minute

 Association of napping with incident cardiovascular events in a prospective cohort study - PubMed (nih.gov)

This study was mentioned in John Ed Mathison's "Got a Minute," 325 daily meditations. He's a retired Methodist pastor who was at Lakeside in 2021, and I attended his morning sermons. I bought this little book and have been using it for the opening meditations at the Lakeside Women's Club which meets at 1:30 on Tuesday.  I try to pick something that's appropriate for the day's program.  Any program about Lakeside would good for a study on napping.  I see a lot of it-- on the hotel porch, on park benches, on towels in the sun and I have a nap almost every day.  

John Ed says on p. 326, "a brief nap is healthy in releasing stress.  The Bible teaches about stress, anxiety, and good health.  I challenge you to put a 5 minute nap together with a reflection on what the Bible teaches.  It might be off the chart how much healthier you could be!"

John Ed usually doesn't give complete citations--after all, these meditations are on phone apps or radio announcements, and I like to think they are reaching people that churches don't, or someone who maybe has a church family but needs a little boost.  That's what librarians are for--we are finders so you can be keepers. That's why I give you the link to the research. And a copy of a painting I did years ago of a napper on the porch of Hotel Lakeside.

Naps

My afternoon naps are coming earlier and earlier.  About 11 a.m.  Of course, I get up early, but then I always have.  When my children would nap in afternoons, I always used that time to nap.  My mother was a napper.  She always said, "I'll just close my eyes for a few minutes." The day before my wedding I napped on the couch with my head in her lap.  She always had a book with her, and as her eyes would get heavy, the book slipped down. When I was about 16 I look a photo of her napping on our burgundy color couch on Hannah Avenue--plaid house dress, an apron, dark brown hair, hose, shoes with little heels. I'll have to look around for it.

The medical news for naps changes from time to time. Some research says an hour nap (my usual length) can help cognition. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/315097

Others say 20-30 minutes is best so you don't get groggy.  https://www.sleepfoundation.org/articles/napping

Mayo Clinic has some suggestions https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/napping/art-20048319

National napping day

was apparently yesterday, to help you gain back that hour you lost due to the crazy, useless thing called Daylight Savings Time.  It doesn’t save daylight.  There will always be the same number.  But here’s some interesting factoids about naps. http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3423/What-You-Need-to-Know-About-Napping-Infographic.html

I have a black belt in napping.

Guidelines for napping

So. . . looks like 90 minutes it is.

4040

Napping on the floor

Isn't this a great photo over at A Chelsea Morning. I don't know who Cameron is, probably a grandchild, but the floor is one of my favorite spots to nap. Sometimes the cat joins me. All I need is about 10 minutes, and I feel one coming on. . .