Is a nap good for you?

Bad news seems to be floating around right now, and it’s not just about credit crunches.

Some new research has shown that taking a nap during the day may ‘increase the risk of a stroke’.

The southern Europeans have long dealt with mid-day heat by taking a siesta, but researchers at Columbia University, New York, say their research indicates people who fall asleep inadvertently during the day could be at higher risk of suffering a stroke.

Involving just over 2,000 men and women aged 40 or over and with no history of a stroke, the study looked at how often people dozed off during such activities as watching television, reading a newspaper or talking to friends.

Those who engaged in ‘some dozing (44 percent of those questioned) were 2.6 times more likely to have a stroke compared to those who did not nod off.

The nine percent who said they were prone to significant inadvertent dozing were 4.5 times more likely to have suffered a stroke, according to the survey.

But for folks who need to have a daily snooze dose, there is some good news out there. Another study by a Dr Olaf Lahl from Germany’s Dusseldorf University seems to indicate that napping for 10 minutes at a time may reduce drowsiness  by refreshing the brain. He asked students to play a game of solitaire for an hour and then recall a list of words. Those who took a 5-minute nap before starting the experiment recalled far more words than those who stayed awake.

So there you are, more confusing research from the wonderful world of science to ponder on.

Frankly, I don’t know how you feel about this kind of research, but I personally find it all a bit tiring – it’s enough to make you want to doz… zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

Hope this all helps, folks. Live long, live well.