A Little Sleep Can Keep You Healthy
By Tom Herrin
It is not uncommon for people to test their limits. After all, most want to get all they can for what they put into it. The same may be said of sleep. Many people try to go just a little beyond what they should in going without sleep in order to have a little more time to do something they want to. When this is the case, a nap may be the fix that can keep everything working as it should. When planned and placed at the right time, a good nap may help to maintain health as well as keep their focus.
It May Help the Skin
Most people have stayed up and done without sleep only to look in the mirror and feel some shock at how they look. Lack of sleep can cause the skin to lose elasticity and cause people to look older than their years. Most don't care for that. When they get enough sleep, their skin shows it. For those who may have missed some sleep, a nap at the right time may be able to allow the skin to have what it needs. It may then appear to have fewer lines and more fullness.
It May Boost Performance
A Stanford University study found that athletes who got more sleep had better physical results. While that may seem like a no-brainer, the facts are striking. This three week study found that those who got more sleep had faster sprint times, better endurance, and lower heart rates. They appeared to have better workouts overall. Since athletes, like so many others, skimp on sleep, they are shorting themselves when they do. A nap may be a good way to get back on the right track.
It May Help Relieve Stress
While the idea of lying around sounds like a good way to unwind, there may be more to it than that. For those of us who get stressed, we may benefit from taking the time to work in a short nap. It has more than a little value. Researchers from Allegheny College concluded that those who had taken a nap may perform better under stress. In their study, those who had taken a nap before a difficult test performed better. It may have been due to lower blood pressure and a better ability to recover faster. Those hammocks may be a good investment after all. You may want to try one out.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Cedar Park, Tex.