***Kitties don’t mind napping, so why do we?***

So there I was watching the financial news when my eyelids began to droop. I know. Shocking! You’d think all those colorful flashing numbers, fancy graphs, and scintillating talking heads would have kept me riveted to the screen.

Then I had a rather naughty thought. “I think I might take a nap,” I said to my sweetie pie. Instantly embarrassed, I amended my comment. “Or I’ll read the paper,” I said with little conviction.

“There’s a third option.” Ryan eyed me. “Do both.”

Since I’m not much for multi-tasking and despite my guilt, I closed the blinds in the bedroom, grabbed a quilt, and passed out.

Before I retired from my full-time job, taking a nap rarely seemed acceptable. Even when I had the time, it just didn’t seem right to curl up in the middle of the day. Still, had I consulted WebMd, I might have reconsidered, because it seems naps are good for us.

Jennifer Soong’s article “The Secret (and Surprising) Power of Naps” pretty much says it all. “Need to recharge? Don’t lean on caffeine—a power nap will boost your memory, cognitive skills, creativity, and energy level.”

For years, the 20-minute power lap was praised for upping our alertness levels and improving our motor learning skills like typing or playing an instrument. But don’t worry if you’re like me and those naps tend to stretch on.

“Research shows longer naps help boost memory and enhance creativity,” Soong said. “Slow-wave sleep—usually 30 to 60 minutes of napping—is good for decision-making skills, such as memorizing vocabulary or recalling directions. Getting rapid movement or REM sleep, usually 60 to 90 minutes of napping, plays a key role in making new connections in the brain and solving creative problems.”

While those lengthier naps sound enticing, experts suggest 30-minute siestas so we don’t wake up groggy. One should also keep a regular nap schedule and recline during the prime napping hours of 1 PM and 3PM, which doesn’t seem horribly practical. Still, a fixed nap time does sound nice and the idea of saying, “I’m sorry. I am unavailable because it’s nap time,” just seems fun, doesn’t it? Note that a darkened room is a good idea for an afternoon snooze, as is a blanket, since our body temperature drops when we nap.

I woke up an hour and a half later and didn’t feel the least bit groggy. Though the whole thing felt rather sinful. But when you consider that naps can boost memory, ease stress and make you cheerier, well, what’s the harm?

So, fellow nappers, grab your blankies and join me. Let’s get some daytime shuteye whenever we’re in the mood. No guilt required.

Your Forgotten Sons

Inspired by a true story

Anne Montgomery

Bud Richardville is inducted into the Army as the United States prepares for the invasion of Europe in 1943. A chance comment has Bud assigned to a Graves Registration Company, where his unit is tasked with locating, identifying, and burying the dead. Bud ships out, leaving behind his new wife, Lorraine, a mysterious woman who has stolen his heart but whose secretive nature and shadowy past leave many unanswered questions. When Bud and his men hit the beach at Normandy, they are immediately thrust into the horrors of what working in a graves unit entails. Bud is beaten down by the gruesome demands of his job and losses in his personal life, but then he meets Eva, an optimistic soul who despite the war can see a positive future. Will Eva’s love be enough to save him?