Some of us are still adjusting to Daylight Saving Time, and of all weeks this is one to start taking regular naps.
In a study, 11 healthy men were deprived of sleep during one night, but were allowed to nap the next day. Urine and saliva samples showed that a poor night’s sleep raised stress hormones, but napping brought them down to normal, showing that catching winks during the day can give the immune system a boost.
Humans are actually designed for napping. Before we started working eight-hour shifts, we naturally decided to take naps in the afternoon.
Interestingly, humans are one of the only animals who don’t sleep in short spurts. Most mammals are polyphasic sleepers, which means they snooze for short periods during the day. We’re one of only a few monophasic sleepers in the animal kingdom. We sleep during one block of time, and are awake for another.