Recent Studies Show that Naps are Good for You and that Sodas Aren't

There are numerous recent studies showing the benefits of short naps, and you may want to consider taking one instead of reaching for a caffeinated soda to re-energize you this afternoon.

Naps: A short nap in the mid-afternoon can boost memory, improve job performance, lift your mood, boost your immune system, and ease stress. And a study published yesterday in the journal Heart, found that several afternoon naps a week can protect your heart too.

NBC: "We looked at healthy adults and found that people who take occasional naps — once or twice a week — had a lower risk for cardiovascular disease compared to people who were not napping at all," said Nadine Häusler, an internist at University Hospital of Lausanne, and lead author of the new research."

The Mayo clinic offers some advice about napping and its health benefits.

Mayo Clinic: "Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults, including:

Relaxation

Reduced fatigue

Increased alertness

Improved mood

Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory"

Their advice is to keep them short, 10 to 20 minutes, and take them in the early afternoon so they don't interfere with nighttime sleep.

Sodas: The research on the negative health consequences of drinking soda is overwhelming. A new study of over 450,000 people published last week in JAMA Internal Medicine reinforces that consensus.

Washington Post: "Regular consumption of soft drinks — both sugar-sweetened and artificially sweetened — was associated with a greater risk of all causes of death..,"

"The study, one of the largest of its kind, tracked 451,743 men and women from 10 countries in Europe. It found that consumption of two or more glasses of artificially sweetened soft drinks a day was positively associated with deaths from circulatory diseases. For sugar-sweetened soft drinks, one or more glasses a day were associated with deaths from digestive diseases, including diseases of the liver, appendix, pancreas and intestines."

So, this afternoon, when you feel a bit fatigued, put down the soda and take a nap. Tell your boss that we said it's OK. Then, grab a coffee; it's good for you.

#health #research #news

By: Don Lam & Curated Content