Napping is good for you
An afternoon nap can be good for your heart, your weight, and as an anti-depressant, according to research done at the University of Athens Medical School.
Midday siestas are common in Spain, Italy, Greece, the Middle East, North Africa, Latin America, China, and India. But in Australia, and other predominantly protestant Anglo Saxon countries like the UK and the US, the siesta is frowned upon and likely to be associated with laziness and slackness.
To check the potential value of napping, the Athens University researchers looked at 23,681 people over six years with no history of coronary heart disease, stroke, or cancer and asked them whether they had an afternoon nap and, if so, for how long and how often.
After taking into account other illnesses, physical activity and diet, they found that those who occasionally napped had a 12% reduced risk of dying of a heart attack, and those who napped every day, a 37% reduced chance compared to those who didn’t nap at all.
The reduction in risk was greater in men who were working, rather than those who were unemployed or retired.
