Random Hearts: We heart a good ol' fashioned cat nap!

Yawwwwnnnnn....stretch.....deep breath.....nap time!!!!!

Seriously...what can be better than snuggling up in crispy sheets while the sun is still out for a few afternoon Zzzzzz's?

OK...yes maybe eating chocolate peanut butter ice cream while loosing weight is a bit better...

But waking up refreshed after a nap is pretty f'n amazing too!

Think midday or late afternoon naps are just for cats or children? Nope! Naps are amazing and super healthy for grownups too! YES!!!!

P.S. Why in the world are they called cat naps? Ummm if anyone owns a cat you know they sleep for 18 hours a day...

FYI we are not talking about those kind of naps... We are talking about the perfect length get up and go type o' naps....

Here is the perfect recipe on how to get the best Zzzz of your day for the least bang...

• 1. Make sure you have no other commitments -- an unfinished to-do list can linger on your mind and prevent you from getting to sleep.
• 2. Wear comfortable clothing, something light and soft.
• 3. When washing sheets, add a scent that you enjoy, such as lavender.
• 4. Arrange pillows and covers suitably. (Make sure there are no wrinkles in the sheets, as they can cause discomfort. If you don't have a pillow, use what you can in your environment -- rest your head on your hands, use a sweatshirt, etc.)
• 5. Go to the bathroom, you can't take a nap bouncing up and down.
• 6. Turn off all lights, TV, music, and other distractions.
• 7. Lie down in a comfortable position.
• 8. Close your eyes and think of pleasant visions.
• 9. Relax and breathe softly.

Need a bit of info to help you feel less guilty about getting a bit of shut eye before dinner? You got it!

(Stolen from Ask and Boston.com)

And research shows that you can make yourself more alert reduce stress and improve cognitive functioning with a nap. Mid-day sleep, or a ‘power nap’, means more patience, less stress, better reaction time, increased learning, more efficiency and better health. Here’s what you need to know about the benefits of sleep and how a power nap can help you!

Many experts advise to keep the nap between 15 and 30 minutes, as sleeping longer gets you into deeper stages of sleep, from which it’s more difficult to awaken. Also, longer naps can make it more difficult to fall asleep at night, especially if your sleep deficit is relatively small. However, research has shown that a 1-hour nap has many more restorative effects than a 30-minute nap, including a much greater improvement in cognitive functioning. The key to taking a longer nap is to get a sense of how long your sleep cycles are, and try to awaken at the end of a sleep cycle. (It’s actually more the interruption of the sleep cycle that makes you groggy, rather than the deeper states of sleep.)

For years, naps have gotten a bad rap, derided as a sign of laziness, weakness, or senility. We are "caught" napping or "found asleep at the switch."

But lately napping has garnered new respect, thanks to solid scientific evidence that midday dozing benefits both mental acuity and overall health. A slew of new studies have shown that naps boost alertness, creativity, mood, and productivity in the later hours of the day.

A nap of 60 minutes improves alertness for up to 10 hours. Research on pilots shows that a 26-minute "NASA" nap in flight (while the plane is manned by a copilot) enhanced performance by 34 percent and overall alertness by 54 percent. One Harvard study published this year showed that a 45-minute nap improves learning and memory.

Napping reduces stress and lowers the risk of stroke and heart attacks. They can make you smarter, healthier and safer.

Oh...P.P.S. Make sure your luxurious midday nap isn't too long or you could suffer from Sleep Inertia! Sounds scary right?

Don't worry it really just means you will get too deep into sleep and be groggy when you wake up...

Still need more convincing? OK, how about reading a tidbit/Nap Map about getting a perfect nap a little paper called the Boston Globe!

And some countries who value their citizens hard work and long days actually have a time of day they call a Siesta where the whole town shuts down after lunch for a few hours just for nap time!!!!!!

Wooooooo hoooooo! We totally agree with you...let's go there asap!

Now, if you are the type who drives far to work and get's sleepy in the car like we used to...or even poops out at work we found a little device to help you stay awake until you actually get home for your nap.

So see? You can take a nap and not feel bad about it!

You're soooooo welcome!!!!

(we actually were thanking ourselves too ;) )

xoxo things we heart