Little Things Can Add Up to Good Health
By Tom Herrin
Running wide open until they give out is pretty normal for lots of people in today's busy world. There often seems to be no time to slow down and dedicate enough time for important things such as sleep. Many people try to fudge their day just a little by squeezing a few extra minutes at each end of it. Sleep is critical for anyone's good health regardless of how much they feel they need to give up to get somewhere. When people are short on time for sleep, a nap can be a good thing.
It May Help Manage Stress
A lot of the time, when people think about someone taking naps, they think about someone simply lounging around with nothing to do. A nap can be much more than that. Stress is known to contribute to high blood pressure, heart disease, and many other health problems. An Allegheny College study appeared to show that when people are able to have a nap in the daytime, they may perform better at work, be more energetic, and have a faster recovery from some stress-related problems. Better blood pressure is another perk.
It May Help Protect the Heart
Lack of sleep is thought to be a factor in some heart problems according to a British study. It is believed that only one night of poor sleep may be enough to cause blood vessels to become stiffer and fail to respond as well as they should. Fortunately they may be able to return to normal once people have adequate rest. When they have the flexibility needed, they can expand under pressure so that they can help to maintain blood pressure at the right level.
It May Help Keep You Sane
When we are short on sleep, we can easily lose touch with reality. According to a University of California at Irvine study, people who failed to get enough sleep reported seeing things in photos that were not actually there. Such things can be unsettling. I have certainly had the experience of being so tired that I could not separate the real from the imaginary. It seems that going without sleep sort of crosses up the communication within the brain much like when a radio picks up more than one station at a time. A good nap may be what it takes to put us back in touch.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Red Oak, Tex.