Category: Get to Sleep!

Be Healthy and More Productive at Work – Take a Nap

If your boss caught you sleeping at your desk a few years ago, you surely would have been fired. But getting in trouble for catching zzz’s at work may soon be the thing of the past. While most of us rely on artificial stimulants like caffeine to power us through the day, experts say that what we really need to recharge our minds is a good nap. Some industries and big companies such as Nike, Google, Ben and Jerry’s and Zappos.com encourage their workers to simply ….nap.

Mark Rosekind, a former scientist at NASA, and now Founder and President of Alertness Solutions, a company creating “fatigue management” solutions, claims that a 15-minute afternoon nap increases our productivity by 35 percent, creativity by 40 percent and the ability to make decisions by as much as 50 percent. On top of that, afternoon naps also significantly decrease the risk of stroke and heart disease, especially in men.

The authors of the largest ever study of this phenomenon discussed this two years ago in the Journal of Archives of Internal Medicine. The study was conducted over about six years on a group of 23,681 adult Greeks-mostly over the age of 50. People who took at least three 30 minute naps a week had 37 percent lower risk of death due to heart or other cardiovascular problems than in those who slept only at night.

It is worth noting that a siesta during the day belongs to the normal practice in many countries in southern Europe. So far, experts believed that the low incidence of heart disease in those countries is a consequence of the Mediterranean diet. Although the study also takes into account factors such as diet, physical activity, smoking habits and other factors related to the circulatory system, it still seems that napping at work has a beneficial effect.

In conclusion, companies benefit from having workers who are healthy, rested and focused. Those who may still oppose the idea of letting their employees nap on company’s time well, perhaps they will change their mind if they just sleep on it?

Share your feedback in the comments below.

By Agnieszka

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

Sleep Your Way to a Beautiful Body

You have probably heard it before, but you might not have believed it – you can lose weight while you sleep. New research suggests that there is in fact a relationship between body mass index (BMI) and the quality and quantity of sleep. That is great news for those of us who love to hit the snooze button at least few times in the morning (and for those of us that wouldn’t mind losing a few extra pounds).

It turns out that a good night’s sleep is a factor in controlling the body’s production of two specific hormones responsible for our eating behavior: Ghrelin – the hunger hormone and Leptin – a regulating hormone that tells our brain when it is time to stop eating.

In a study of 1,024 people aged 30 to 60 years old, those who slept only three hours a night had a 5% increase in body weight over 15 years, according to thedietchannel.com.That’s because sleep depravation results in increased levels of ghrelin which in turn makes our body feel hungry and decreases the levels of leptin, depriving us from a feeling of fullness. The result is simple: Overeating.

To keep both hormones at their proper levels, one must make sure not only to get a good quality of sleep but also the hours that our body needs to rejuvenate That’s usually 7 to 9hours depending on an individual.

So is losing weight as simple as getting enough sleep? No, but when combined with a healthy diet and exercise, sleep is a very important and often overlooked component of losing weight.

To find out more about sleep and weight loss click on the link below.

http://www.webmd.com/sleep-disorders/excessive-sleepiness-10/lack-of-sleep-weight-gain

Share your experience, leave us a comment.

By Agnieszka

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.

7 Reasons You Ought to Take a Nap Every Day

Guest Post – by Mary Ward

Though most Americans find themselves far too busy to nap during the day, there is actually quite a bit of evidence that suggests that our siesta loving neighbors are more in tune to the needs of our bodies than we are. There has been quite a bit of research that suggests that we are actually meant to nap during the day. Here are seven reasons why you ought to give the old siesta a try.

1. Our bodies seem to be programmed to sleep after lunch. It is believed that our bodies have evolved to trying to drive us out of the midday sun, particularly in countries near the equator. We all tend to get a bit sleepy sometime mid afternoon, because of a slight drop in body temperature. Statistics show that more on the job accidents happen in the mid afternoon, and are often related to sleepiness. In addition, overall performance among employees in all industries has been shown to be at the lowest point of the day about an hour or so after lunch. This afternoon dip in energy happens even if you don’t eat lunch.

2. You’ll feel more alert and able to focus. Research has shown that even a 10 minute nap can increase your performance, alertness and concentration. A short nap is especially beneficial if you’ve had poor sleep the night before.

3. You may sleep better at night. Some people report better sleep at night if they take a short nap during the day simply because they are not as exhausted when bedtime comes. Being “over tired” is a common reason for insomnia, which a short nap may alleviate. Beware, however, of long naps, which can make it more difficult to sleep at night. Ten to thirty minutes or so is best. Sleeping more than 30 minutes may put your body into a heavier mode of sleep, causing you to feel groggy when you wake up.

4. You may be able to reduce the number of hours you sleep at night. By taking a daytime nap, you may be able to reduce the number of hours you need at night – sometimes by as much as 2 hours.

5. Napping may improve your ability to learn. The National Sleep Foundation has reported research from Harvard that shows that sleep is key to learning, and that napping in addition to nighttime sleep can improve your ability to retain what you’re taught.

6. It improves driving safety – Sleep experts report that taking a short nap before you begin a long drive can reduce your chances of a “drowsy driving” accident. They also recommend that you pull over and take a 20 minute nap if you feel drowsy. Following that nap with a caffeinated drink before you hit the road again is best.

7. It can reduce stress – Since stress is often tied to being tired and overwhelmed, a short nap during the day can be a great stress reliever. You’ll wake feeling more refreshed and better able to cope with the stresses of the day.

At the end of the day, the goal is to get the optimal amount of sleep for your body. Sufficient sleep improves performance, health, learning and simply makes us feel better. And, the good news is, that using naps to get that is just as good as sleeping through the night.

Mary Ward blogs about various health care job issues, including how to study to obtain a degree from ultrasound technician schools.

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Important:
The Sleep Blog does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Instead, this website provides general information for educational purposes only. Always seek the advice of a qualified health care provider if you have questions or concerns regarding any medical condition or treatment.