ICISF co-founder Dr. George S Everly says in his book The Resilient Child:
Us older folks need 7 to 8 hours of sleep a night. But, I’ll tell you a secret: I recently discovered “the nap”. Yes, that afternoon departure from consciousness lasting 15-30 minutes. I used to think a nap was something old people or babies did, but one of my daughters saved me from this mistaken idea. One day, she said she was going to take a nap.
“A nap?” I said. “You take naps?”
“Yeah, dad – power naps.”
Ah, the power nap. Yes, indeed, wording is everything!
If the “power nap” sounds good to you, there may even be a “super power nap”…the relaxation response. Dr. Herbert Benson authored a highly influential book in 1975 entitled The Relaxation Response, which reported on research showing that meditation and related practices were able to create a state that he termed “the relaxation response.” His research and the work of others have shown that the relaxation response is not only the opposite of the classic “fight or flight” stress response, but prolonged practice can actually assist in the development of resistance to stress and a highly resilient mind and body. Now, couldn’t we all use some relaxation?
Additional postings on sleep & wellness: