IT has long been accepted that hitting the books increases brain power, but what about hitting the pillow?
People who enjoy an afternoon siesta will be buoyed by a recent study that indicates napping helps seniors maintain healthy mental functionality.
According to the study, which was published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, a one hour nap each day is beneficial when it comes to maximising your brain power.
Nearly 60 per cent of 3,000 Chinese adults aged 65 and older who provided information for the study admitted to a nap after lunch.
Nap times ranged from around 30 minutes to over 90 minutes, with most taking naps that lasted just over an hour.
Participants were asked simple questions, given basic maths problems, had their memories tested and were asked to copy simple geometric drawings.
According to results, people who napped for around an hour did better on the tests than both the non nappers and those who napped for longer or shorter periods.
People who did not nap or took shorter naps experienced a similar decline in mental abilities to the decline a five year increase in age would be expected to cause.
Details: americangeriatrics.org/.
