6 TED Talks About Naps

Take a nap, change your life

Doctors, researchers, and scientists agree: quality sleep is crucial for good health. And regular naps can help top up the sleep you need if you’re not getting enough at night.

Our bodies need sleep to recover from the wear and tear of daily life while our brains rely on sleep to sort and store memories and problem solve. Under the cover of sleep, our veins are flooded with age-defying human growth hormones while an army T-cells are raised and sent into battle to fight against colds and infection. What’s more, sleep lowers the risk of just about every scary health issue as we age.

What happens when you skimp on sleep and build up a sleep debt? Quite simply, the price you pay for a sleep deficit is more than just lost productivity. Sleep heals your body from the abuse of the day, fuels it up to tackle the next day and fortifies your organs to fight against future stress and disease. Skip sleep and you’re ability to handle stress (physical, mental and emotional) and learn new skills is severely diminished. People who sleep less than 6 hours a night don’t spend enough time in the deepest stages of sleep and are at higher risk of heart attacks and strokes than those who clock at least 7 hours. Sleep deprivation is a costly habit.

Instead of thinking of sleep – and naps – as a void of nothingness, use it as the path to a longer, healthier life. Don’t you think it’s time to wake up and learn why sleep is so important?

Grab your headphones because we’ve gathered the best (in our opinion) TED Talks videos that focus on napping – paying back that sleep debt in smaller chunks rather than a whole night. These videos are short, smart and will give you something to consider the next time you think it’s okay to skimp on your sleep.

You’re welcome.

Give it up for the Down State – Sleep: Sara Mednick

Dr. Sara Mednick is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychology at the University of California, Riverside. Her work on sleep research continues to shape the way we understand the importance of healthy sleep hygiene. In her talk, she argues for everyone to take a nap during the day.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MklZJprP5F0 

Sleep-engineering: improve your life by manipulating your sleep – Penny Lewis

We spend 1/3rd of our lives asleep, which suggests it’s important. But, what is all this sleeping and napping for? And why does every animal species appear to need sleep? Based on the latest neuroscientific research, Penny Lewis shows why sleep is critical for combining and restructuring memories and how it forms the foundation creativity.

Redefining rest, slowing down to speed up – Bec Heinrich

Bec Heinrich studies, develops, coaches and consults to leaders of all ages. In this talk, she shares about how the disease of busyness is corroding our lives and why rest is critical for inspiring and sustainable leadership. Bec explores how napping transformed her life and leadership, and from her research, shares about the impact of naps on people’s performance.

The power of rest and reflection – Daniel Rubin

By changing how we grasp the concept of time, we can take back control of our time. Daniel will discuss the importance of appreciating resting and napping as an opportunity for reflection and contemplation on time and life, a topic often missed in today’s modern, fast passed lifestyle.

One more reason to get more sleep | Jeff Iliff

The brain uses a quarter of the body’s entire energy supply, yet only accounts for about two percent of the body’s mass. So how does this unique organ receive and, perhaps more importantly, rid itself of vital nutrients? Sleep!

The facts of napping

Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan, JFK, and John D. Rockefeller were all dedicated nappers – every day. If you’re considering swapping out caffeine for an afternoon quickie, this video should give you all the motivation you need. Produced by the 2013 “Dream Class” of Stanford University.

Rest well & wake up ready to go!

Better sleep gives rise to better mornings, bringing your goals into focus and dreams within reach. Hungry for more sleep info? Dig into these posts:

• So many reasons to get more sleep
• Is there a difference between weekday & weekend sleep?
• Sleep experts weigh in on the best tips & tricks for getting better rest