Napping

In line with yesterday's post about the heart benefits of napping, here's an excellent graphic from the Boston Globe about technique:

How To Nap

Click for larger. Better yet, visit the whole article.

To nap or not to nap:

"Napping reduces stress and lowers the risk of heart attack and stroke, diabetes, and excessive weight gain."

When to nap:

"If you're a lark ... you're going to feel your nap need around 1 or 1:30 p.m. If you're an owl ... closer to 2:30 or 3."

How long to nap:

• 20 minutes or less "enhances alertness and concentration, elevates mood, and sharpens motor skills."
  
• Between 45 and 90 minutes and you may wake up with "grogginess and disorientation that can last for a half hour or more."
  
• 90 minutes or more "helps to clear your mind, improve memory recall, and recoup lost sleep."

The article includes many more tips, including this heartening finding:

"Last year, a British study suggested that just knowing a nap was coming was enough to lower blood pressure."

________