Poll: How Often Do You Take Naps And Do They Ever Happen At Work?
When Mel and I hosted to the morning show, I was an almost-daily napper. Sometimes I didn’t even plan on taking naps. Sleep just happened. And it could be anywhere, from a doctor’s office waiting room to a school parking lot. Once, I had to be awakened by a teacher at Chantilly Montessori because I had fallen asleep in the carpool line while waiting to pick up my kids. Daddy was dreaming and drooling when he should have been driving.
Now that we’re on the air in the afternoon, I don’t nap nearly as much anymore. But every now and then, like on a plane or during a long trip in the car, I can still nod off for twenty minutes or so. What about you? Are you a napper? Do you find naps refreshing? Have you ever napped at work?
According to a poll on naps from MSN.com, the U.S. is not a nation of frequent nappers. However, when we do catch a few winks during the day, whether at home or at our jobs, the benefits are clearly there:
How often do you take naps?
- Frequently-21%
- Sometimes-32%
- Rarely-34%
- Never-13%
What’s your average nap time?
- Less than 15 minutes-18%
- 15 to 30 minutes-31%
- 30 minutes to an hour-37%
- More than an hour-14%
Do you usually wake up from a nap revived or more tired?
- Revived-59%
- More tired-28%
- I don’t nap-13%
Do naps affect your nighttime sleep?
- Yes-14%
- Sometimes-38%
- No-48%
Have you ever taken a nap at work?
- Many times-5%
- A few times-24%
- Never-54%
- I don’t work-17%
5 Foods That Can Help You Sleep Through The Night
Eggs
(Photo Illustration by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)
Eggs are one of the best sources of melatonin among animal products. They’re also loaded with iron and protein, as well as other essential nutrients.
Fish
(Photo by Cameron Spencer/Getty Images)
Fatty fish like salmon and tuna are rich in melatonin as well as vitamin B6, omega 3 fatty acids, magnesium and vitamin D – all of which promote healthy sleep. One study found that participants who ate salmon three times a week slept better and showed improved daytime functioning than those who didn’t.
Milk
(Photo by Tim Boyle/Getty Images)
It turns out that the old school sleep remedy really works, thanks to the melatonin. Milk is one of the best dietary sources of it and it also contains the amino acid tryptophan, which increases concentrations of melatonin and helps you drift off to sleep easier.
Nuts
(Photo by Carsten Koall/Getty Images)
According to a 2022 study published in the Journal of Food Composition and Analysis, walnuts were found to have high amounts of melatonin. It’s also found in almonds, hazelnuts, pumpkin seeds and pistachios. Just go for the raw kind because the roasting process has been shown to negatively impact melatonin content.
Tart Cherry Juice
(Photo by Tom Enos/Cherry Marketing Institute via Getty Images)
This is new to me. Apparently, tart cherry juice is an effective sleep aid thanks to all the melatonin in the fruit. You can also just eat the tart cherries to get your melatonin without all the added sugar in the juice.
