National Napping Day
National Napping Day is an unofficial observance that takes place on the day after Daylight Savings Time starts.
It is a day meant to make up for the one hour of sleep that people lose due to the time change.
History of National Napping Day
In 1999, William Anthony Ph.D., a professor, and researcher at Boston University, and his wife Camille Anthony, realized how sleep-deprived people were after Daylight Savings started.
They set out to create a day that would highlight the health benefits of a quick afternoon nap that could also increase productivity and happiness.
The US government did not recognize this day as an official holiday. However, many people honor this day by taking a quick afternoon nap.
Thanks to social media, it has gained a lot of popularity in recent years. The official hashtag #NationalNappingDay often trends on social media as people shares memes and images.
Napping in Culture
Many Mediterranean countries like Spain and Italy have long realized the benefits of a quick siesta or riposo.
In these cultures, people have been taking quick naps post-lunch for several years and acknowledging their many benefits.
The afternoon is actually the perfect time for a quick nap. This is because it is the hottest part of the day and productivity is usually lower.
It also falls right in the middle of the wake cycle and the sleep cycle, which is ideal for the body to regain its rhythm.
The Benefits of Napping
Napping has been proven to increase productivity and alertness levels. Hence, the brain works better.
Several large companies such as Google encourage their employees to take naps during the day. This is because it actually helps them work better for the rest of the day.
It is estimated that companies lose millions of dollars a year due to employees being overworked and tired, thus not doing the best work that they could.
It also significantly helps with cognitive ability, as naps help improve memory and logical reasoning. This is why so many advise people to take naps during studying breaks, as they help the brain retain the information acquired.
Naps also help make you happier and less frustrated, enabling people to deal with problems in a calmer manner.
Health-wise, napping reduces the risk of heart disease by 37%.
Finally, it is known that most mammals take naps during the day, so why not humans?
Read Daylight Savings Starts next.
