from journal General Psychiatry
Some of us relish the habit of an afternoon nap. New research finds regular afternoon naps are linked to better mental agility, such as better locational awareness, verbal fluency and working memory. The study appears in the journal General Psychiatry, using data from more than two thousand apparently healthy people sixty and older. All participants underwent a series of health checks and cognitive assessments. Two-thirds took afternoon naps—from as little as five minutes to as long two hours. Cognitive performance scores were significantly higher among the nappers compared to non-nappers. Night-time sleep was similar in both groups—about six and one-half hours.