by N.Morgan

Sleep is a vital, often neglected, component of every person’s overall health and well-being. Sleep is important because it enables the body to repair and be fit and ready for another day. Getting adequate rest may also help prevent excess weight gain, heart disease, and increased illness duration.

While still somewhat enigma in the scientific world, from the correct way to sleep to why we need it, the study of sleep still has a long way to go before we fully understand its intricacies. As HHL points out, approximately 85% of all mammalian species sleep more than once a day, and scientists are not completely clear if humans are naturally monophasic as opposed to polyphasic. Has modern society conditioned us to be so, just as it has influenced so many other aspects of our health?

If we examine the topic from a historical perspective, the work of historian Roger Ekirch of Virginia Tech is a good start. In 2001 he published a paper that included over 15 years of research. It cited an overwhelming amount of historical evidence that reveals that humans used to in fact sleep in two separate blocks of time. You can read more about that (and access the paper) here.

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Regardless of our historical sleep habits, however, it’s quite clear that many human beings suffer from a lack of sleep for various reasons, one of which very well maybe that we don’t take time out during the day to have a nap.

Various studies have clearly outlined the many health benefits associated with napping. For example, a 2008 study showed that naps are better than caffeine for improving verbal memory, motor skills, and perceptual learning.

 A NASA study from 1995 (pdf) looked at the beneficial effects of napping on 747 pilots. Each participant was allowed to nap for 40 minutes during the day, sleeping on average for 25.8 minutes (which is just about right). Nappers “demonstrated vigilance performance improvements from 16% in median reaction time to 34% in lapses compared to the No-Rest Group.”

In a study carried out in Greece, researchers found that adult males who took an afternoon nap at least three times per week were 37% less likely to die from a heart-related disease compared to men who never take a short afternoon nap.

The health benefits of napping are clear and substantial. You can find out more of those benefits from the HHL post here.

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References:

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0166432808002416

https://www.collective-evolution.com/2015/08/12/the-science-behind-power-naps-why-theyre-so-good-for-you/

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10607214

https://youtu.be/MklZJprP5F0

Stories Contributed by N. Morgan