The article reports on some resent experimental research that shows that napping improves memory performance; about 1-1.5 hours is optimal. I really don't have too much time to comment on it, to say nothing of going through the original paper, but I didn't want to ignore it altogether. After all, sleep is something dear to all of us, and something that's been on my mind quite a bit lately (in the "Oh, for a few more hours of sleep" sense).
When you think about it, not having a siesta is pretty weird. Most cultures have condoned, or even encouraged, a longish break around midday. Our own bodies seem to have a pretty strong opinion on the matter too; I know I can't get a single thing done during the hour right after lunch. I usually sit half-asleep staring blankly at my work, or I spend the time with something that doesn't require much actual thinking - browsing the web, writing the blog, that sort of thing. But as this research points out, it's probably better to stop fighting it, lean back and take a real, refreshing nap instead.
