It's Nap Time, America

Remember kindergarten? Remember how, after an intense session of finger painting the teacher fed you graham crackers and milk? Then you'd spread your little blanket and take a nap. Probably the only time in life when napping is condoned and we were too young to appreciate it.

But that might be changing. In his 12 Point Plan for Healthy Aging, Dr. Andrew Weill recommends sufficient rest and ---- napping. And the crowd roars -- but not too loudly because it's nap time, America.

Just a few minutes midday to recharge. A dozing diversion. Horizontal hiatus. Call it what you like. We need to re-set our circadian clocks. America needs a nap.

Other countries embrace the siesta, so why are we a napless society? My guess is the Puritan work ethic that's chiseled into our cultural DNA. Remember the Puritans -- those serious guys with big buckles? Definitely anti-nap.

You probably think you'd feel g-u-i-l-t-y if you took a nap when you should be doing something productive. But that's the point. This is approved napping. Everyone is doing it.

Imagine enjoying a brief span of quiet time to catch those much needed 40 winks. (What does that mean anyway? Are 24 or 65 just as beneficial? And who does the counting?)

I suppose, like with anything else, national napping could get out of hand. There will be some abusers -- those who extend their 10-20 minutes into hours of semi-consciousness. Nappers Anonymous chapters will form to handle them.

Did you know that the first Monday after daylight saving time is National Workplace Napping Day? There's also National Sleep Awareness Week. That's a start, but to really catch on approved napping needs grassroots support, a movement or an organization. How about we form the National Association of Post-Lunch Snoozers (NAPS)? We'll need a logo, t-shirts, bumper stickers and, of course, blankets.