Pretend he's asleep!
Posted on 02/12/2007 1:26:27 PM PST by Cagey
CHICAGO — New research on napping provides the perfect excuse for office slackers, finding that a little midday snooze seems to reduce risks for fatal heart problems, especially among men.
In the largest study to date on the health effects of napping, researchers tracked 23,681 healthy Greek adults for an average of about six years. Those who napped at least three times weekly for about half an hour had a 37 percent lower risk of dying from heart attacks or other heart problems than those who did not nap.
Most participants were in their 50s, and the strongest evidence was in working men, according to the study, which appears in Monday's issue of Archives of Internal Medicine.
The researchers said naps might benefit the heart by reducing stress, and jobs are a common source of stress.
It's likely that women reap similar benefits from napping, but not enough of them died during the study to be sure, said Dr. Dimitrios Trichopoulos, the study's senior author and a researcher at Harvard University and the University of Athens Medical School.
Heart problems killed 48 women who were studied, six of them working women, compared with 85 men, including 28 working men.
A daytime siesta has long been part of many cultures, especially those in warmer climates. Mediterranean-style eating habits featuring fruits, vegetables, beans and olive oil have been credited with contributing to relatively low rates of heart disease in those countries, but the researchers wanted to see if napping also plays a role.
"My advice is if you can (nap), do it. If you have a sofa in your office, if you can relax, do it," Trichopoulos said.
(Excerpt) Read more at wral.com ...
Cool! I always thought I was lazy, and it turns out I'm a fitness nut!
Those who could fall asleep rested their bodies, go figure.
I can see it now - "It's Valentine's Day, honey, let's go take a nap, it's good for the heart..." bwhahaha!
"Uh, boss, my doctor says I have to take a nap every day. Can I use the couch in your office?"
LOL!
Looks like it's worth a try!
zzzzzzz huh? wha???
I will do my best to nap.
I don't know, last Saturday, when I awoke my wife was screaming at me, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? then she ranted about 3-4 minutes, the kids said she had been standing at the front window watching for me for an hour.
I told her I was in bed taking a nap. It can be dangerous.
This has to be great news for the PC crowd!
In the future, they can send the health police into my house and demand that my wife sees to it that I am getting the proper amount of zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzs!
I will settle for nothing less.
GEORGE: Oh, boy I was up to four in the morning watching the Omen trilogy.
JERRY: That's good stuff.
GEORGE: I'm exhausted.
JERRY: Can you grab a nap at work.
GEORGE: Not with that big glass window looking out into the hall. I'd love a good nap. That's the only thing getting me out of bed in the morning. I'll see ya'.
It's my old weekday lunchtime dilemma. What to do, sleep or exercise?
LOL!
I heard this on FNC and WABC
Woo hoo!! An aspirin a day, a dark chocolate bar, and a nap. I'm loving it!
Jim: don't forget the red wine!!!
zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
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