National Napping Day is observed annually the day following the return of daylight saving time. National Napping Day provides everyone with the opportunity to have a nap and catch up on the hour of sleep they lost due to the spring-forward time change.
- Mid-afternoon naps are an integral part of most cultures and scientifically proven to be good for you.
- Numerous studies have shown that short 10-20 minute naps are the most effective when midday fatigue hits. Improvements in alertness, productivity and mood have all been shown to improve with this type of snooze.
- The siesta is still a time-honored tradition in Spain that happens right after the afternoon meal and has been a practice since time out of mind. In fact, if you’re in the Mediterranean, it’s pretty much standard everywhere you go.
- In Italy, they call it the riposo, pisolini, and even old Charlamagne (yes that Charlamagne) has been recorded as having taken 2-3 hour naps in the middle of the afternoon.
- An “Ask Men” survey asked men what they liked to do after making love. Taking a nap topped the list by a landslide. Having a snack came in second. Womens’ answers ranged from cuddling, talking, being left alone, and being fed.
- According to a study by the National Sleep Foundation, 74% of women get less sleep per night than men, yet women feel more guilt about napping than men.
- Napping offers several benefits for creating healthy adults, including relaxation, reduced fatigue, increased alertness, improved mood, improved performance, increased reaction time, better memory, and fewer accidents and mistakes.
- Humans are the only mammals who willingly delay sleep and plan naps.
- Sleep researchers suggest that repeating a simple word like “the” at irregular intervals blocks the mind from racing and helps a person to fall asleep at night or to take a nap.
- Google headquarters has “nap pods” that block out both light and sound.
- Ben & Jerry’s, Zappos, and Uber, allow napping during the workday.
- Since Thomas Edison invented the lightbulb in 1879, nighttime sleep for the average American has dropped from nine hours per night to less than seven.
- There is actually a napping competition called the National Siesta Championship held in Madrid every year where the winner can take home a cash prize.
- The Japanese respect workplace naps so much that they even have a name for them, “inemuri.”The word translates to, “to be asleep while present.”
- Those who relish naps are in good company: JFK, Ronald Reagan, Napoleon, Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and George A Bush all savored an afternoon nap.
- Some famous and brilliant people were known for taking naps, such as:
- Salvador Dali. This eccentric artist from Spain worked hard to invent the micro-nap. He would intentionally fall asleep sitting up, with a large key in his hand which was poised over a metal plate or bowl. As he fell asleep, the key would fall and make noise, waking him up to get to work again–feeling much restored and revived.
- Eleanor Roosevelt. The wife of the 32nd president of the United States would often take a short nap before she was to give a public speech, which gave her a little energy boost to greet her adoring crowds.
- Napoleon Buonaparte. As a military genius, Napoleon was known for going long periods without sleeping and then simply falling asleep at will, even in the middle of the battlefield.
- Leonardo Da Vinci. This famous artist went so far as to replace his normal sleep and, instead, taking a 15 minute nap every 4 hours, which is now called “polyphasic sleeping”.
- Margaret Thatcher. With the nickname “The Iron Lady”, it’s no surprise that this British Prime Minister only slept for 4 hours each night. However, she was known to regularly schedule a 1 hour nap in the afternoon.
- Our bodies are programmed to need sleep between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
- Statistics show one-third of Americans nap every day.
- Napping may reduce the risk of coronary heart disease.
- A 60-minute nap can boost our alertness for up to 10 hours.
- 34% of employers allow napping during work hours.
- There are three types of naps.
- A planned nap, as its name suggests, is premeditated. If you know that you’ll have to stay up longer than usual, you can take advantage of this type of afternoon nap.
- An emergency nap involves napping when you have difficulties keeping your eyes open because you’re exhausted.
- Finally, a habitual nap is again pretty self-explanatory—some people like to take a nap every day at the same time.
- Our bodies are programmed to need sleep between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
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