The Power Nap
Yiasas!
Xristos Anesti and the timing of this week’s topic is incredible as it is the name day celebrating my father’s name .... Anastasios.
My father, Tasso, God rest his soul, lived to the age of 90. He naturally abided by a healthy, Mediterranean lifestyle. All my life I was struck by his habits; slow chewing of whole foods, moving his own body to lift move and carry things. His zest for life was evident as he was always ready for Kefi time.
Although all of that was part of his regular routine, the one staple he always participated in without fail, was to nap. He laid down for 30 to 60 minutes every single day.
As a child, I remember my father coming home at 3pm from the restaurant he and my mother owned, to rest and lay down. This “nap” habit was not coincidental or a result of exhaustion, it was his “refresh.”
Tasso my father loved to nap. But please don’t confuse that with lazy, his constitution was quite the opposite, he was the hardest worker I have met. Maybe that is why he lived a vital, energetic life into his old age.
Tassos’ Good Health/Nap scenerio is living proof that resting is good for the mind and body, but there is also scienticfic research to support this healthy habit. .
Napping, Nani, siesta, la somme, pisolino and drzemki – however you refer to it, is a nutrient for the body and the mind.
SLEEP INERTIA:
Gary Breka, Human Biologist, has conducted research at the Harvard School of Public Health validates the health evidence for napping:
Nap for no less than 20 minutes and no more than 90 to enjoy a plethora of health benefits
Short napping will increase brain cognition and decrease heart diseases.
A 40-minute nap will provide a 40-minute increase in your performance.
CAUTION:
Keep your naps brief and under 1 hour 30 so that you will be refreshed and prevent disease vs going into deep sleep REM.
PAN METRON ARISTON
As usual, all things in moderation my dear friend.
At Institute of Integrative Nutrition, I learned that we are Bio Individuals. What does this mean? It means that no one person is the same, we each carry our own DNA and bio markers. Therefore, napping frequency and snooze minutes are individual.
GAME CHANGER
Data supports a person can improve their well span and increase their life span with daily napping. Napping scientifically promotes a significant reduction in all causse mortality.
Dear friends in Kefi, it’s time to get your NANI on.
Nap time is possible. You can close your office door and sneak a snooze on your lunch break, exit the work space at home and snuggle the pillow or seek a spot in nature to rest yourself. You owe it to yourself to recharge when need to.
Happy napping and rest well,
Sending you filakia –Kisses,
Kiki