The key to happiness? Taking a short nap in the afternoon
- 66 per cent of ‘short nappers’ said they were happy compared to long nappers
- Napping for up to 30 mins can increase focus, performance and creativity
- Margaret Thatcher and Winston Churchill were known for taking regular naps
Colin Fernandez Science Correspondent For The Daily Mail
40
View
comments
The secret of happiness could be as simple as having a quick snooze in the daytime, research suggests.
A study found that taking naps of less than 30 minutes improves our sense of well-being, as well as boosting performance.
The researchers have suggested a new word to describe the contented feeling after a brief doze: ‘nappiness’.
66 per cent of ‘short nappers’ reported feeling happy, compared to 56 per cent of ‘long nappers’. Going for short rests is thought to increase focus, productivity and creativity (file photo)
Professor Richard Wiseman, of the University of Hertfordshire, said: ‘Previous research has shown that naps of under 30 minutes make you more focused, productive and creative, and these new findings suggest … that you can also become happier by just taking a short nap.’
However the study found that those who took longer naps were less happy than those who did not nap at all.
More than 1,000 people took part in the study, conducted for the Edinburgh International Science Festival.
Among the participants, 66 per cent of ‘short nappers’ who slept for less than half an hour reported feeling happy, compared with 56 per cent of ‘long nappers’ and 60 per cent of those who never napped.
-
Man is arrested six years after a mother and her…
Road to Damascus moment: Syrian millionaire, 38, GIVES AWAY…
-
PICTURED: Dog owner mauled to death by his own Staffie in…
Short nappers had an average happiness score of 3.67 on a five-point scale, no-nappers 3.52 and long-nappers 3.44.
The research also showed that 43 per cent of participants aged 18 to 30 were taking long naps during the day, compared with just 30 per cent of those over 50.
Only 11 per cent said they were allowed to take naps at work.
Prof Wiseman said: ‘A large body of research shows that short naps boost performance. Many highly successful companies, such as Ben Jerry’s and Google, have installed dedicated nap spaces, and employees need to wake up to the upside of napping at work.’
Former prime ministers Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher both claimed to have slept just four hours a night, but took regular daytime naps (file photo)
Napping for just 20 to 30 minutes is said to improve creativity, focus and performance.
One study carried out by the American space agency Nasa on sleepy military pilots found that taking a 26-minute nap while the co-pilot was in control boosted alertness by 54 per cent.
On the other hand, frequent hour-long naps are associated with an 82 per cent increase in the risk of heart disease.
Former prime ministers Sir Winston Churchill and Margaret Thatcher both claimed to have slept just four hours a night, but took regular daytime naps.
Share or comment on this article
- ‘It attacked from behind’: Farmer swallowed whole by…
- ‘Sharnie was the most natural mother in the world’: NRL…
- Mother and her son, 13, die and his company director…
- Snake gets its comeuppance after attacking a porcupine…
- ‘You owe me’: Top Harefield heart surgeon ‘raped mother…
- FBI pictures reveal fiery aftermath and appalling…
- Man, 20, ‘raped and killed his girlfriend’s four-year-old…
- Road to Damascus moment: Syrian millionaire, 38, GIVES…
- ‘The EU has ruined this country’: Furious pensioner, 70,…
- Out on the town AGAIN! Malia Obama dines out with a…
- EXCLUSIVE – Bird of paradise: Bikini-clad Megyn Kelly…
- Man tries to abduct three-year-old British girl at Costa…
- Woman who tried to lure a toddler from her mother by…
- Romanian 18-year-old girl claims she has sold her…
- PICTURED: Dog owner mauled to death by his own Staffie in…
- Pay up first – THEN we’ll talk! EU leaders threaten…
- ‘My rule is that if my Grandad would be disgusted, I’d…
- Devastated mother, 47, discovered via FACEBOOK her…
Comments 41
Share what you think
-
Newest -
Oldest -
Best rated -
Worst rated
The comments below have not been moderated.
The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual.
Your comment will be credited to your MailOnline persona.
Close
Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual
We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook.
The post will be credited to your MailOnline username. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.