Don't Feel Guilty The Next Time You Take a Nap- By Kaleigh West
We've all experienced it: we come home from a long day at school, work, or practice and the first thing we want to do is go to sleep-- at 4:00 in the afternoon. Naturally, we pass out on our couch or bed, still in our t-shirts and jeans, and suddenly, 4:00 turns into 6:00. After that two hours of much needed rest, we often find ourselves waking up feeling guilty, as if we should have spent the last two hours doing something productive. However, a recent study conducted by Nadine Häusler, Ph.D. revealed that napping may not be a complete waste of time after all. In fact, according to this study conducted in Switzerland, napping can reduce the risk of a cardiovascular event, such as a heart attack or stroke, by 48%. Participants ranging from 35 to 75 years of age with no history of cardiovascular issues were monitored over a five year period. About half of the participants reported that they did not frequently nap, while 20% said that they napped once or twice a week, and 24% sai...