Fighting the Need to Nap?

Fighting the Need to Nap?
Provided by: DrWeil.com

Q: I'm 59 and am now working at home. I've developed the habit of taking brief naps in the afternoon. I would never do this at the office. And while I feel better after napping, I worry that it isn't a good thing to do. Your thoughts? -- Peter A: I happen to be a big fan of napping. Like you, I used to worry about the need to nap and fight off the impulse when I had work to do, but I've since learned that people who nap generally enjoy better mental health and mental efficiency than people who don't nap. They also sleep better at night. Now, if I feel the need to nap and have the opportunity, I just take one and usually wake up after 10 or 20 minutes feeling refreshed.
Napping is healthy because it allows us to rest, something we rarely get a chance to do in today's increasingly hectic working world. Wherever we go, we're bombarded with information. Television monitors appear to be everywhere making it difficult to tune out and allow yourself some moments of rest, or just to distance yourself briefly from your surroundings and responsibilities.
All our labor-saving devices have actually reduced - not enhanced - our opportunities for leisure and rest. Even on vacation, many people can't get away from email or escape the ringing of their cell phones. We're missing out on a lot by not taking time to step away from all the chatter and clatter of modern life.
In my new book, Healthy Aging: A Lifelong Guide to Your Physical and Spiritual Well-Being, I recommend making a habit of taking an afternoon nap for 10 to 20 minutes, preferably lying down in a darkened room. Finding the opportunity to rest is important too. Try to fit some rest into your day - carve out some time to be passive, without stimulation, doing nothing. It'll do you good.
Andrew Weil, MD
Last Reviewed: October 2005