Why The Body Benefits From Napping

http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Sleep deprivation has become one of the major causes of accidents and health problems in recent years and mostly because people who lack proper sleep time do not know the importance of this daily routine that is an essential part of our lives.

Experts believe that today’s work environment and the demands that go with it are one of the main causes of sleep deprivation and although frequent naps are often thought to be staggered offsets for the lack of it, they say that it is not the case.

During the deep sleep phase, the brain recharges from work exhaustion, cells in the body repair themselves and releases important hormones to allow the body and organs to function properly- which does not happen during short naps.

Naps are generally short periods of sleep state but are a whole lot different from the deep sleep phase according to Dr. Ruth Benca, professor of psychiatry and director for the Center of Sleep Medicine and Research at the University of Wisconsin- Madison.

“People used to think that it was better to pull an all-nighter than to break it up with a short nap, but that is not true,” Dr. Benca said, adding that in case there was a lack of sleep, it is good to try and make up for it at any time of the day.

However, what are the benefits of naps are those snippets of sleep periods where it is better to take naps than none at all.

Sleep time varies with age because these are important periods of total rest that is essential for helping the body recover and repair from all physical and mental activities done for the day.

Here is a table of ideal sleep time requirements;

• Babies – 16 hours
• Children aged  3-12 – 10 hours
• Teenagers aged 13-18 – 10 hours
• Adults aged 19-55 – 8 hours
• People aged 55 and above – 6 hours

Another trivial fact that would keep people up on their toes is that people are more likely to die first from sleep deprivation compared to starvation.

While it would take two weeks for an average person to die of hunger, it only takes ten straight days for someone to die without sleep.

The post Why The Body Benefits From Napping appeared first on NUTRITION CLUB CANADA.