"Don't Shun the Afternoon Nap" by Barbra Williams Cosentino. A Great Read for before or after your next nap!

What a fantastic article this is about napping from MarketWatch! 

As you know, I am a huge proponent of the afternoon nap. And I'm pretty familiar with the concept that napping increases creativity, productivity, and ability to problem solve. But here's my favorite quote from the article: 

“Naps are beneficial for memory because the brain is ‘offline,’ not taking in any new information, yet is actively consolidating memories,” says Marissa Bowman, a doctoral student in the Clinical-Health Psychology program at the University of Pittsburgh.

This right here is the BIGGEST benefit I get from napping. Yes, I'm recharging. And yes, I'm addressing the fatigue that sent me to bed in the first place. But the concept of my brain being still, or "offline" is the key for my mid-day recovery. When I get hit with lupus fatigue, I can't take in or process new information, nor am I successful at accessing old information. Carrying on a conversation is my LEAST favorite when I'm tired. My thoughts and opinions, no matter how familiar they might be to me, are a jumbled, cloudy mess, and I'm not good at faking it. So the idea of giving my brain a break from inputs - conversation, information, etc. - is a welcomed change of pace midday. 

Take a moment to read the entire article here. Be forewarned - they cover all kinds of naps for all kinds of people, and there are some nap naysayers in the bunch. But just be confident in knowing that if a nap works for you, keep working that nap. Lupus naps are in a category of their own, in my opinion. My daily nap has already enhanced and lengthened my life - so I'm going to keep at it. Won't you join me this afternoon for a little siesta?