Benefits of napping

Do you take naps? I take one every day for 20-30 minutes during my lunch hour, and it really helps my afternoon performance at work. Mark Sisson writes,

Yeah: as much as people are willing to pay lip service to the importance of a solid eight hours every night (actually sleeping that many hours is another thing entirely), most do not seriously entertain the value of napping. That’s a real mistake, because not only do humans have a long and storied tradition of snoozing in the middle of the day, there are also huge benefits to naps. Far from being anti-productivity wastes of time, a well-timed nap can boost cognitive function, improve work output, and make you healthier, happier, and a better employee (and person).

Benefits of Napping

Napping has been shown to help stave off jet lag.
A 20-minute nap can improve “subjective sleepiness, performance level, and self-confidence.”
A quick nap can be enough to overcome the negative effects of sleep deprivation on learning and memory.
A study in Greek adults found that an afternoon nap was associated with improved heart health and reduced cardiovascular events.
A mere 26 minute nap can boost performance by 34%.
An afternoon nap improves post lunch “cognitive flexibility,” or the ability to multi-task.
Napping reduces stress, particularly the stress caused by sleep restriction.
Napping restores immune function impaired by sleep restriction.

Go here to read more.