Naps for fun and health benefits We define naps as mid-day
sleeping of under an hour. Longer sleep periods during the day
are called siestas. Recent research actually shows that midday
naps can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially
for males. A report published in the Annals of Internal Medicine
reported on a large-scale study of people in Greece. Naps
reduced the risk of heart problesm about as much as statin drugs
do. A study in 2006 concluded that regular naps of less than 30
minutes can improve productivity and mental performance. Regular
longer naps are associated with higher mortality. The authors
felt that regular nappers could get the most out of their naps
by "training" the body to awaken after a short nap. People who
napped at least 30 minutes a day, three times a week, were 37
percent less likely to die from heart disease. Occasional
nappers had a 12 percent reduction. Although there is always a
risk that daytime naps lead to nighttime insomnia, individuals
can learn the specific ne