Churchill’s Nap: A Habit for Resilience

Winston Churchill, who famously guided Britain through World War II, was not only a prolific writer, earning a Nobel Prize in literature but was also quite fond of his afternoon naps.

But, interestingly, he didn’t just take a casual snooze on the couch. Every day, he would change into his nightclothes, slip into bed, and use custom beeswax earplugs to block out the sounds of a busy wartime London. These naps were a sacred part of his routine, even with the pressures of leading a country at war, which often had him working late into the night.

There’s even a method referred to as the ‘nappuccino’: you drink a cup of coffee just before a brief nap, allowing the caffeine to kick in right as you wake up.

As he once noted in his wartime memoir The Grand Alliance, “Nature has not intended mankind to work from eight in the morning until midnight without that refreshment of blessed oblivion.”

It’s unlikely that Churchill would have paid much attention to modern warnings linking daytime naps to dementia.

The Dementia Debate

Recent findings from a study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins involving nearly 1,000 Americans aged 65 and older found some startling correlations between napping habits and dementia risk. Participants who napped often had a 48% higher relative risk of developing dementia compared to those who rarely napped.

This might give pause to anyone who enjoys a midday rest. But digging deeper into the research reveals some reassuring insights for nap enthusiasts.

It turns out that individuals who unintentionally fell asleep during the day faced a 39% higher relative risk of dementia. In contrast, those who chose to nap deliberately showed no significant correlation after accounting for different factors.

The analysis also indicated a link between naps that lasted 30 minutes or less, so the concept of a quick power nap isn’t universally beneficial. It remains unclear whether frequent napping leads to cognitive decline or if the early signs of dementia simply cause increased drowsiness.

So, at least for now, it seems there’s no need to toss the recliner out.

Churchill’s Notion of Napping

For Churchill, his afternoon nap was an essential part of his daily routine. He was not one for half measures.

He explained to a Time-Life executive, Walter Graebner, that the only true way to nap was in bed, naked, rather than dozing off in a chair. He dismissed the idea that resting in the afternoon would lead to decreased productivity, asserting that his regimen effectively gave him a day and a half’s work for every regular day.

Churchill’s sleeping habits were quite unorthodox, even among those accustomed to working late. He would often conduct his morning business from bed, take his nap, and then return to work during the wee hours. And yes, the beeswax earplugs weren’t just part of a myth; reports from the International Churchill Society confirmed that a pair used to be auctioned off in 2012.

While Churchill’s practices don’t indicate that napping is inherently healthy—his heavy drinking and smoking habits hardly make him a wellness icon—there’s no denying he was anything but lazy.

Mastering Sleep Like a Soldier

It’s a well-known fact that soldiers can sleep nearly anywhere, seizing every opportunity to rest. This skill is particularly valuable in a job where a missed night of sleep can result in serious consequences.

The U.S. Army even coined a term for this: tactical napping.

As outlined by the Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, tactical naps are intended to help maintain military readiness by allowing brief rest before anticipated fatigue, especially during prolonged operations where the chance to nap is available.

The key, it seems, is to nap before you’re completely worn out. Walter Reed advises finding a dark, quiet spot and giving yourself time to wake up fully afterward. Oh, and don’t forget the “nappuccino”: that little coffee-nap combo again.

Nasa has also looked into the benefits of strategic naps. In an experiment with long-haul pilots, those who were allowed a short rest averaged about 26 minutes of sleep and subsequently performed better and were more alert than their counterparts who stayed awake.

Lead researcher Mark Rosekind later noted a 34% improvement in performance and a 54% boost in alertness after napping. Who knew that just 26 minutes could make such a difference in productivity? No need for extreme measures like cold showers or specific diets here.

Embracing Nap Time

Feeling excessively sleepy during the day can be due to insufficient nighttime rest, medical conditions, or even medications, and napping doesn’t compensate for long-term sleep deprivation. However, there’s a significant distinction between transitioning to sleep unexpectedly and intentionally setting aside time for a brief rest.

For most healthy adults who find naps beneficial, about 20 to 30 minutes in the early afternoon could be a good start. Napping too late in the day might disrupt nighttime rest, and oversleeping can lead to grogginess.

And should you feel the need to justify your snooze to colleagues, you can always mention that you’re simply following in the footsteps of Churchill and the Army.