

A Little Sleep Can Go a Long Way for Health

By Tom Herrin

Many people burn the candle on both ends.  Sometimes this is due to simply having too many demands and sometimes it is due to people making choices that may be pushing them to the limit.  There are a lot of things that can cause people to lose sleep, but it is critical to plan for it.  One of the things that can be done to turn it around and put them on the road to better health is to take a nap.  When it is done with a plan in mind, it can serve some pretty good purposes.  A nap may be one of the easiest ways to improve health.

It May Protect the Heart

There are plenty of things that increase the stress on the heart.  Lack of sleep is just one of them.  According to a British study, when people are lacking enough sleep, the blood vessels can become less flexible after one night of poor sleep.  This means a greater chance of heart disease.  On the other hand, one night of good sleep can make the blood vessels return to normal.

It May Help Make People Smarter

Some years ago, there was quite a bit of attention to the idea of playing something educational while people slept.  It was thought that they may be able to retain more of the information.  A German team found that when people took a nap after learning some new material, they were more likely to retain it.  As a matter of fact, their study showed that people's memories were five times better than those who had remained awake after new learning.

It May Help Manage Stress

We all look for ways to relieve stress, or at least, we should be doing so.  Stress may be created by work, school, financial worries, relationships, or any of a variety of other things.  Lifestyle is often the best way to bring it on and also relieve it.  Exercise is always a good option, another one is taking a nap.  Researchers from Allegheny College found that a nap can lower blood pressure.  They believe a nap may be able to speed up the heart's ability to recover.  I tend to push myself beyond what I should and have found that a short nap can provide what seems like a 180-degree turnaround.  I can tell the difference.  Don't hesitate to try it yourself.

To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Salt Lake City, Utah.

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