Napping for your Health Here on the Suncoast!

Did you know that today, March 13, 2023, is National Napping Day, part of March’s Sleep Awareness observances? Sleep Awareness Week begins on March 12 at the start of Daylight Saving Time, when most of the public faces the disruption of the clock change and loses an hour of sleep. Over the past 25 years, more than 20 polls have been fielded on topics ranging from aging, exercise, and bedroom set up to help the public understand key attitudes, behaviors, and experiences with sleep health. National Napping Day Falls on the 13th of March this year, to encourage the benefits of naps to help regulate changes such as daylight savings.

National Napping Day was created in 1999 by a Boston University professor and his wife. William Anthony, Ph.D., and his wife, Camille Anthony, created this holiday to spread awareness of the importance of getting enough sleep and its benefits. The holiday was meant to help make up for the amount of sleep lost when the hour changes. The date was chosen because studies have shown that people are already at their most tired and sleep deprived after daylight savings changes. The hour change makes a difference, but National Napping Day can make you feel like there was no change at all.

Naps are seen as luxuries now, a symbol of extra time most of us can’t afford. But back in other times, naps were seen as a necessity and were sometimes used for medicinal purposes and even religious practices. Even though National Napping Day was created 21 years ago, it is still not recognized as an official national holiday. Although National Napping Day isn’t technically a real holiday, who doesn’t love a reason to nap?

Health Benefits of Napping

If you’re sleep deprived or just looking for a way to relax, you might be thinking about taking a nap. Napping at the wrong time of day or for too long can backfire. Understand how to get the most out of a nap.

Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults, including:

• Relaxation
• Reduced fatigue
• Increased alertness
• Improved mood
• Improved performance, including quicker reaction time and better memory

Whether you are experiencing fatigue due to changes in schedule, daylight savings, or other reasons or want to add naps to your health routine – it can benefit you in so many ways. Obviously, remember that if you suddenly have an increased need for naps, it could show other underlying health concerns. Remember to take a nap to refresh, overcome changes in sleep patterns due to life situations, or give yourself a break from the day.

Feature Photo from Deposit Photos