Is Napping Good Or Bad For Your Health?

I've always assumed that taking a nap during the day can actually have good benefits for your health. Many people who regularly treat themselves to a short nap claim their senses are sharper and they're more productive. But, a recent study published in the American Journal of Epidemiology found that napping could be bad for your health! So, what gives here? I side with Peggy Noonan, a terrific writer and thinker, who said naps are nature's way of reminding you that life is nice - like a beautiful, softly swinging hammock strung between birth and infinity.

Napping has been part of the human condition for eons! So what are we suppose to believe here? Well, while the benefits of napping are verified by research, in some cases, it may not help at all, or actually make things worse! There are some groups of people who should avoid taking naps because they can hurt you. If you are either an insomniac or if you endure bouts of depression, you will want to stay away from napping. The reasoning is that naps may disturb your body's internal rhythm, leading to results that are not beneficial.

That said, napping during the day has some good benefits for a majority of people, some whom depend on a nap to be more vibrant and productive. So in this debate of whether or not a nap is good for you, I align with Yogi Berra who correctly stated, "I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four."

[Good Housekeeping]