The Power of a Nap

The below article is right on.... especially since I too am a 'napper'!! Naps are not solely for babies, kids, dogs, the elderly....EVERYONE is entitled to a nap. Give your body a break - a chance to keep up with life! And accept the enjoyment of a nap. In sickness or in health, YOU deserve it!

There is new information out of the University of California at Berkley that indicates that napping during the day boosts cognitive power. I like this! I am a napper. I don’t always get the opportunity for a short afternoon nap, but when I need it I take it. It might just be a few minutes before dinner or an evening class but it helps. When we go through chemotherapy or radiation one of the most distressing side effects is fatigue. Usually I worked in the morning and then went to Chemotherapy in the afternoon, returning to work the next day. This resulted in only a half day off from work. After a couple of months I would take the day after chemo off as I began to feel thecumulative effects of months of treatment. That would give me the whole day to rest.

I then learned that if I could get a nap in during the day when I was working I could sail through the day much easier. Problem is, most people don’t get the opportunity or have a place where they can get a nap in. I had an office so I could put my head on my desk and close my eyes which resulted in a 15 minute nap. It really did help. On warm days, I was not above napping in my car during lunch hour. It’s still a good idea.

I no longer need naps to get through breast cancer, but I don’t rule them out during stressful times. I started out with breast cancer treatment thinking I was a superhuman but soon learned that I am only human. Naps are a good thing and now we have the science to back them up.

Kathy-Ellen

February 22, 2010

Breast Cancer and the Power of Napping

www.everydayhealth.com