Health for life

Researchers reporting in the February 12, 2007 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine analyzed data from 23,681 participants of the Greek EPIC Study (European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition Cohort):

Siesta in Healthy Adults and Coronary Mortality in the General Population

... and found that:

"Siesta [midday napping] in apparently healthy individuals is inversely associated with coronary mortality, and the association was particularly evident among working men."

This finding was independent of other lifestyle factors that contribute to heart health, including education, diet, exercise, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, and smoking.

No matter how often or how long the nappers napped, they experienced benefit. Although those who made it part of their routine benefited more.

Data reported about napping placed a participant in one of two groups:

• Occasional Napper (less than 3 times/week, or less than 30 minutes)
  
• Systematic Napper (at least 3 times/week, and at least 30 minutes)

When data for men and women were combined:

• Those who occasionally napped had a 12% lower rate of coronary death.
  
• Those who systematically napped had a 37% lower rate of coronary death.

However, when data for men were analyzed separately:

• Those who occasionally napped had a 42% lower rate of coronary death.
  
• Those who systematically napped had a 50% lower rate of coronary death.

And when data for men who were still working (not retired) were analyzed separately:

• Those who occasionally napped had a 64% lower rate of coronary death.
  
• Those who systematically napped had a 64% lower rate of coronary death.

For working men, just some quick shut-eye on the weekends offered benefit similar to regular napping.
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If you want to concentrate or get better test results, it helps you prepare for nap time. A recent study revealed a nap to prepare healthy brain to remember more sharply. Naps can be likened to reboot the computer in order to work more smoothly.

Matthew Walker, an assistant professor at the University of California said that sleep is not just for your health, but it is very important for the brain. In the study, Walker and 39 young adults were divided into two groups. At noon, all the participants took part in the exercise of memory to remember faces and link them with names.

Then the researchers took part in memory training in the afternoon after sleeping for 20-100 minutes. "Those who stay awake doing tests by 10 percent worse than take a nap," said Walker. One other thing that is obtained from the study, a persons ability to learn between noon and six oclock decreased by 10 percent, but this decline negates nap.

Studies show that the phase structure dreamless sleep improves memory. "Sleep plays an important role in memory processing. And give a lot of evidence that sleep is not only important for after learning, but you need it before learning to prepare the brain to put the information."

Long sleep gives the brain a chance to remember during the sleep cycle. After performing an electroencephalogram tests to track electrical activity in the brain, the researchers set, memory resher occur between deep sleep and dream, which is called rapid eye movement (REM).

"The brains ability to absorb information is not always stable," said Walker. "It seems that the capacity of the brain may be a bit like a sponge that will get soaked if you continue to learn throughout the day."

Jessica Payne, an assistant professor at the University of Notre Dame, said the results provide additional evidence of the importance of sleep. Sleep is very important for students and those who fight to preserve the memory due to aging. Other recent research proves sleep can help you think more creatively, maintaining long-term memory better and preserve important memories.