Do you take naps? If so, how long?
By Amber
@AmbiePam (92828)
United States
October 23, 2024 9:26am CST
I was watching a health show, and a couple of experts were talking about how research shows people who take naps two hours or longer per day, increase their chance of Alzheimer’s disease. I didn’t like hearing that because my stepmom takes a two hour nap each day. Now, she does a lot per day, including spending two hours in her garden each morning. She is never caught sitting down. My dad understandably, dismissed my misguided concern, rightly blaming it in residual PTSD from my mom’s dementia. My stepmom’s parents lived until their late 80s, so her health prognosis isn’t bad at all.
So I let go of that silly fear. Do you guys take naps? If so, how long?
22 people like this
22 responses
@aureategloom (9649)
• Bosnia And Herzegovina
23 Oct
oh no i'm one of those people
i love taking naps. back in college i would take a nap every day after classes. nowadays, i take naps too if i don't got any plans. sometimes i set alarm and sometimes i just lay down and wake up when i wake up hahah
sometimes my naps last even longer than 2 hours
4 people like this
@marguicha (223107)
• Chile
23 Oct
I had never taken a nap until I was in chemo for a type of cancer. Since then I take a nap every day. It is not something I want, it is something I need. I don´t believe in those "experts" sayings. I have lived through experts telling us not to eat eggs or to eat more eggs. And not to eat butter and to have margerine instead to change margerine to butter. I, myself listen to my body. I sleep less at night but take a nap after lunch.
3 people like this
@allknowing (136541)
• India
24 Oct
Mine is not more than thirty minuts but I do take a nap every single day after lunch
3 people like this
@ShyBear88 (59347)
• Sterling, Virginia
23 Oct
Sometimes, I take naps, but they are not a daily thing. I usually take one for up to two hours unless I'm actually sick or something. I try not to take them unless I'm exhausted or had a rough night of sleep like the other day. I didn't get any sleep the night before and crashed hard around 1 pm till roughly 5 pm yesterday, but it was much needed, and my husband was home; other wise, I power through the day and have a coffee or two.
3 people like this
@thislittlepennyearns (62562)
• Defuniak Springs, Florida
23 Oct
I take naps sometimes, but not as much as I would like. Chris mom takes naps almost every day. She also has memory issues, so that's a little concerning
3 people like this
@luisadannointed (6187)
• Philippines
23 Oct
Is that true? I take a nap when i am sleepy, but for the last couple of months i am deprive of sleep.
But 2days ago i cant help but sleeping too much, idont know.
2 people like this
@Juliaacv (51020)
• Canada
23 Oct
Yes, let go of that information.
I can only nap for 15 or 20 minutes at the longest.
Anything longer, in my books, is a sleep.
I do not sleep during the day, or my body isn't trained to.
I remember when my Gramma had her first heart attack, she was told that she had to lie down and sleep for a minimum of 30 minutes a day and preferably 60 minutes. I was only a little girl when that happened, and I remember my Dad taking me aside and asking me not to go over to Gramma's house in the early afternoon as her body needed that time to rest her heart.
Diane could be thinking similar to that.
There are other health issues that require someone to rest a little longer than most of us.
And as you know, there are so many other factors that someone experiences before the diagnosis of dementia can be found to be true.
I remember the mood swings, and the hostility when her heart was always so kind and sweet.
That was when I knew that something was very wrong.
It spiraled downhill from there, and at a rather fast pace. I felt like we lost her twice, once when the illness set in and then when her vessel ceased. The later was easier to take as I knew that she was finally at peace, resting in a better place.
2 people like this
@wolfgirl569 (106397)
• Marion, Ohio
23 Oct
I usually don't. I think part of it would depend on your normal sleeping pattern. Some people don't do a straight 8 hours. So a longer nap could be needed
2 people like this
@RasmaSandra (79904)
• Daytona Beach, Florida
23 Oct
Usually just like one-hour cat naps, I lay down to read, then feel sleepy and close my eyes, but once I start thinking of retuning to the PC that is it my nap time is over,
2 people like this
@1creekgirl (41447)
• United States
24 Oct
I do take a 1/2 hour nap most afternoons, but I really need it. Alzheimer's runs in my family which is a concern, but I don't have it at 76, so maybe I won't.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (340216)
• Rockingham, Australia
24 Oct
I get quite cynical about some of this advice they throw out so easily. How do they know this? By asking those with dementia? Take heart, Amber. In a few years, when they're getting a bit short on 'healthy' advice, they'll reverse this.
2 people like this
@dya80dya (36657)
•
23 Oct
I wish I could take naps. My mom said that naps healed her depression. When she doesn't have energy she takes a nap and she can work a lot after that nap. I had some naps by mistake when I was very tired and when I woke up I had panic attacks. Now I am afraid to even try.
2 people like this
@jefferson126 (3268)
• Shenzhen, China
29 Oct
Normally,i take 30-40mins nap each noon after morning work.I felt refreshed after nap.
1 person likes this
@GardenGerty (160702)
• United States
24 Oct
I hesitate to nap because I often relax so much I have no energy left and I do not sleep well at night. Bob naps a lot, long ones. My preferred nap is thirty five minutes or less. I think all of this "advice" is relative. Dianna--dad's wife--is active, mentally engaged and physically busy. She probably gets up early. What about all of our agricultural forebears who got up early, worked hard, slept in the middle of the day and then worked some more. You did not hear of them having dementia?
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (178877)
• United States
24 Oct
I would love to be able to take naps. I find them luxurious; but I have so much trouble sleeping that I never get more than 2 or 3 hours a day. Have a good day.
1 person likes this
@RevivedWarrior (2254)
• India
24 Oct
I would not read too much into it. If your Stepmom is active both physically and mentally , do not worry on same. It is not a confimed possibility for everyone taking nap to have such issues. I do not take naps unless I am sick or really tired. I prefer to have one good sleep at time and that should be 7-8 hours minimum. So , quality sleep at night and that helps to be fresh and great in the morning. Whenever I took naps it usually impacts my sleep at night , so I generally avoid the same! So, do not worry too much into same. You have a great day ahead!