Napping at work? It’s good for your heart!

A study lands on the side of tired workers who want to take advantages of their lunch breaks to catch a few ZZZs. After all, it is for the good of their heart! It seems that a little snooze reduces the risk of dying from cardiovascular problems, especially for men.

During the course of the largest study to date on the effects of la siesta, researchers followed close to 24,000 healthy Greeks in their fifties for about six years. Results show that those who napped at least three times per week for approximately 30 minutes lowered their risk of dying from a heart attack or other cardiovascular problems by 37%, compared to those who did not nap. Men however seem to reap the most benefits from an afternoon snooze.

Researchers think that a nap is good for the heart because it lowers the level of stress, and as we all know, work is the main source of tension in adults.

In North America, napping is often associated with laziness, even if this ritual is practiced in many cultures, especially those in warm climate countries. Many who work for companies that allow napping maintain that this rest period makes them more, not less, productive.

So, are you ready to try and popularize napping at your workplace?