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February 13, 2007

Health News of the Day

Taking regular naps could lower your risk of heart attack by 37%.

February 13, 2007 | Permalink

Comments

Well, ok then. Be back in an hour or so.

Posted by: Stephen | Feb 13, 2007 11:37:56 AM

Jim luvs him his naps.

But, a reminder that the times they are a-changing:

Spain Says Adiós Siesta and Hola Viagra

“We used to have a siesta, to sleep all afternoon, to eat well,” she said. “But now we have become a fast-food nation where everyone is stressed out, and this is not good for male sexual performance.”

Seems like the Spanish and the US both previously had it half right. The US used to be viewed as the home of lots of sex (but no naps - for productivity sake), and Spain had the siesta but a somewhat repressive sexual culture. [although I suspect the siesta was code word for sex with non-regular partner and a nap as well in most cases]

Best of all scenario: Some regular mid-afternoon sex followed by a nap. And then maybe some more late-afternoon sex.

Viva Viagra! Viva the Nap!

Posted by: JimPortlandOR | Feb 13, 2007 12:10:47 PM

. . .

Uh-huh. Or being someone relaxed enough to nap during the day could mean that you're already less hypertension-prone. Why is science journalism always so very, very bad?

Posted by: Nick | Feb 13, 2007 12:45:06 PM

Works me for me. I have had 42 percent less heart attacks since taking naps, but I take longer naps.

Posted by: bob mcmanus | Feb 13, 2007 1:34:30 PM

Forwarding to my boss ... ;)

Posted by: Thlayli | Feb 13, 2007 4:19:55 PM

Nick: napping during the day does not necessarily imply lack of stress. My roommates and I, all freshman in college, frequently stay up late working and wind up taking naps during the day simply because we cannot stay awake any longer (there are lots of instances of falling asleep in chairs with books open in our laps, or working on the laptop in bed and slowly nodding off).

I think your overall point is still valid, but in my experience (yaddayadda anecdote != data) people who nap are actually less relaxed, not more.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go lie down a bit...

Posted by: Isabel | Feb 13, 2007 4:42:34 PM

This is something Latin folk have known for centuries. It's one of several things I miss about living abroad--you start work later (i.e. 9:30 or so), take a two-hour lunch (so there's time to eat, digest, and take a little siesta), and work later into the evening (7:30-8:00). Then you have dinner with your spouse and children and sometimes go dancing. This on a weeknight.

It's an infinitely more human pace. *sigh*

Posted by: litbrit | Feb 13, 2007 8:07:28 PM

Please, let us not confuse correlation with causation. Those that take naps are 37 percent less likely to have X. Naps may not cause the difference, but some other factor that both permits/encourages the person to take naps, and also reduces X.
A prospective study, randomly assigning participants into a napping group and a non-napping group might work..

Posted by: S | Feb 18, 2007 5:32:20 PM

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