Take a nap at work, it might just keep dementia away, says expert

We all feel the pang to take a nap in the middle of the day, at home or even in the middle of work at the office. Most people might frown upon those putting their heads down on their desks and taking a quick snooze at work. However, you should do it anyway since the benefits of a nap are immense, as per science. The latest addition in the list of benefits is the ability of a nap to reduce the risk of developing dementia.

Artificial intelligence (AI) expert and University of Waterloo professor Mohamed Elmasry, in his book "iMind: Artificial and Real Intelligence", has stressed the importance of keeping your brain active and giving it some rest. He says that naps act as "resets" that can refresh our memories and other brain and body functions.

Several studies have cited the benefits of taking a nap. Our brain cannot work continuously, and so it is important to give it a break to "recharge, to rewrite our memory, and to dream," Elmasry told Newsweek. Naps are also known to improve performance in cognitive tests. Memory tests are also often aced by people who take a small break in the day to let their brain reset.

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"Napping is to give our brain a good sleep at midday to recharge, to rewrite our memory, and to dream," he said. "The alternative? A brain that works non-stop, say from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m."

Similarly, he also suggests people take a proper break once a week where they sleep, stay active, eat healthy, meditate and stay away from alcohol and smoking. A day like this can help keep chronic stress, which can trigger cognitive decline, at bay.

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Brain games and exercises

He also pointed out the hazards of not giving your brain a good exercise. Relying on Artificial Intelligence can make people use their brains less, upping their risk of developing dementia. He says that one must pay attention to their "physical, mental, and spiritual fitness" and exercise those brain muscles in order to keep the memory sharp as it runs on the principle of "use it or lose it", just like our body muscles.

He suggests playing brain games to keep the brain muscles in motion. One should also not rely too much on AI as then the brain doesn't get to do much, which can prove harmful in the long run.