Napping at work is Cool !!

A lot of companies are now encouraging their employees to snooze at work and boost their productivity.

Could napping at work actually increase productivity? A NASA study backs up the claim. The study shows that a nap of just 26 minutes can boost performance by as much as 34 percent.

Some companies are starting to respond to sleep-deprived workers by providing the time and space to nap during work hours. Studies show tired workers cost business about $150 billion a year in lost productivity.

Napping Tips
Here are some of tips from Dr. Sara Mednick and tidbits on making the most of your nap times:

• Prime nap time is 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. That minidip in energy you experience is biological, not because you just ate lunch, Mednick said.
• Stage 2 Sleep. There are different phases of sleep. Within 20 minutes, you experience "Stage 2" sleep, which increases alertness and motor skills.
• Slow Wave Sleep. Within 40 minutes, you'll experience slow wave sleep, which increases memory.
• REM Sleep. This is deep sleep you'll get if you nap for up to 90 minutes, and it increases creativity.

Low light and low noise will help you fall asleep faster.

Studies show that naps up to 90 minutes won't interfere with your sleep at night, so don't sleep too long. And don't nap within three hours of bedtime.

See some Famous nappers.

• Winston Churchill – said he needed his afternoon nap to cope with his responsibilities.
• Thomas Edison attributed his tremendous amount of energy to sleeping whenever he wanted to.
• John D. Rockefeller took a nap every afternoon in his office.
• Eleanor Roosevelt was known to take a nap before a speaking engagement.
• William J. Clinton retired to his private quarters every afternoon at 3:00 for a 30-minute nap.
• Connie Macktook a nap before every game.
• Gene Autry used to take an hour nap in his dressing room between performances.
• Ronald Reagan has the ultimate napping reputation even though his wife denies that he had a napping habit.

Breaking the Color Code

Now as more and more are living away from home, we have to make the healthy food choices ourselves. Its easy to just dive into the short cuts of cooking, open that Noodles pack and be done in 2 minutes. Before you do that, just think of all the heath benefits you are depriving your body. I believe if we know our food better its more likely that we will eat them well. Here is a fun way of knowing the benefits of the fresh food just based on thier color, it cannot be any simpler than that. So next time you are out shopping for produce, have a little fun with the COLORS you pick.

Crack the Color Code:

When selecting produce, no one tint rises above the rest. Know more of what each hue bring you.

GREEN: These foods contain cancer-protecting phytochemicals, like isothiocyanates. And loaded with antioxidants that may reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.

Green Beans, Spinach, Broccoli, Kiwis, Cabbage, Capsicum, Coriander leaves.

YELLOW: Sun-colored produce is full of vitamin C, which helps heal wounds and also blocks some skin damage caused by free radicals.

Pears, Pineapples, bananas

ORANGE: These have beta-carotene, which may help boost immune function and protect against free radical damage. Nutrients in citrus fruits also improve oral health.

Oranges, peaches, carrots

RED: Produce in this hue has lycopene, a noted cancer fighter, and ekkagic acid, whch may help reuce DNA dmage. Flavonoids - found mostly in berries and cherries - boost antioxidant defense, protect individual cells from free-radical damage, and fight heart diseases, and may help maintian cognitive funstion and put the brakes of aging.

Red capsicum, strawberries, tomatoes, watermelons

BLUE and PURPLE: Grapes and purple cabbage have anthocyanins, which may protect cells from oxidative damage and slow the signs of aging. The nutrients that make them dark in color also help cognitive function and have antioxidant properties that may fight cancer.

Blueberry, grapes, purple cabbage

WHITE: Onions and garlic contain allicin and quercetin, both of which have been associated with reduced heart disease risk and increased immune function. Cauliflower contains cancer fighting sulforaphane.

Onion, garlic, mushrooms


While this gets you started, the list doesn’t end here, include all you favorite vegetables and fruits to the color list.