Is it just me, or does this weather make you feel kinda sleepy? Hot, long days mean that by this time in the evening, it’s easy to drift off. But this UCSD research I came across shows that maybe we shouldn’t fight the urge to nap; especially if you want to gain some muscle. What’s more, napping naturally increases growth hormones and reduces cortisol. It even increases your risk of heart attack by 37%. So go on, don’t fight it, switch off your phone, put your head down and close those eyes…. ;P

by Poliquin Editorial Staff

Although napping is typically associated with babies, the fact is 1 out of 3 Americans take regular naps. The numbers vary by demographic; for example, men over the age of 50 nap more than women over 50; and as income increases, napping tends to decrease. Now the question is “Are naps a good thing?” They are if you ask Sara C. Mednick, PhD.
 
Dr. Mednick is an assistant professor of psychiatry at the University of California, San Diego, and co-author ofTake a Nap! Change Your Life (Workman Publishing Company, Inc., 2006). Mednick’s doctoral thesis was on the effects of napping, and her research has been published in numerous peer-reviewed journals such as Behavioral Brain Research and Trends in Neuroscience. Her work garnered her a grant from the US Department of Defense. Mednick offers the following benefits of taking naps:
 
•       Improves skin and tissue regeneration
•       Improves sex drive and sexual function
•       Increases growth hormone production
•       Decreases cravings for high-fat, high-sugar foods
•       Reduces the risk of relying on stimulants
•       Reduces the risk of fatigue-related accidents
•       Elevates mood
•       Increases creativity
•       Improves memory
•       Decreases stress
•       Reduces the risk of diabetes
•       Reduces the risk of heart attack and stroke

Read the rest of the article here (when you wake up!!)