A new study released by the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that taking afternoon naps reduces the rate of coronary death by 37%. From the Boston Globe:

The scientists tracked more than 23,000 adults, finding that the benefits of napping were most pronounced for working men.

Researchers have long recognized that Mediterranean adults die of heart disease at a rate lower than Americans and Northern Europeans. Diets rich in olive oil and other heart-healthy foods have received some of the credit, but scientists have been intrigued by the potential role of napping.

The study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, concluded that napping was more likely than diet or physical activity to lower the incidence of heart attacks and other life-ending heart ailments.

Good enough for us. See you in 30 minutes. —MEGHANN MARCO

Study ties drop in deaths to a little nap after lunch [Boston Globe]

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