A Little Shut Eye
by Bahram Ghaderi, MD
Who loves taking a nap? I for one have been a fan of napping ever since I can remember. Granted I don’t take many now, but if I could, I would take one every day. Sadly,something with kids and work just doesn’t leave me much room for a quick snooze. My memories of the naps I have taken are always good ones. Usually, it is a quiet day and in the middle of the day. I think when I take a nap, it is the deepest sleep of my day. I don’t know if kids still have nap time at school, but I have fond memories of my kindergarten napping sessions.
As an adult, the best naps I recall are the ones I took when the kids were little babies. I napped as many times as they did! In fact, I think I often volunteered to put them down for a nap, so that I could fall asleep too. A Sunday afternoon, on a comfortable couch, with a sweet and quiet baby sleeping on my chest was the strongest sleeping pill ever. I would be out like a light. Sometimes I do wake up a little more tired, but I have never regretted taking one.
Not that you need convincing but science backs me up on the power of a good nap.
1. Napping Boosts Alertness – A NASA study found that pilots were more alert after a 40-minute snooze, compared to pilots who didn’t no rest. Even just 20 minutes has been shown to perk up shift workers.
2. Napping Improves Learning And Memory – MRI scans have shown that brain activity remains higher in nappers all day compared to people who don’t take a rest.
3. Napping Increases Creativity – Ever wake up and suddenly have a solution to a problem you were working on? A study found that longer naps that allowed sleepers to enter REM led to better performance on a series of creative word problems.
4. Napping Boosts Productivity – An afternoon nap is, in fact, the opposite of laziness. A good siesta can improve work output. A short power nap can be just the right pick-me-up for sleep deprived and tired employees.
5. Napping Lifts Your Spirits – Think back to the last time you were around a toddler who hadn’t napped. It’s usually at Target with a cart full or groceries on aisle 3! A quick nap is a well-documented mood booster, not that you needed any scientific proof.
6. Napping Zaps Stress – The mere fact of escaping for a nap can be a great stress-reliever, even if you don’t sleep for the whole afternoon. The National Sleep Foundation recommends considering it “a mini-vacation.” And don’t stress if you can’t doze off. A 2007 study found that asleep or not, a short period spent resting in bed is just as relaxing.
No matter what, nothing beats a great power nap. I hope that one of the benefits of retiring is that I can take a nap at anytime and anywhere. Hope reading this made you feel tired and in need of laying down for a nap. I have one favor after you take your nap, please let us know how often you take naps. Enjoy and hope you solve all the world’s problems in your 20 minutes.
As always, please send any comments to drghaderi@stcharlesplasticsurgery.com.
BRIDGE WALK
On May 13, 2017, LivingWell Cancer Resource Center hosted their annual Bridge Walk at the Kane County Forest Preserve in Batavia. LivingWell Cancer Resource Center is a local gathering place providing comfort for anyone that is experiencing the effect of cancer.
We are humbled by the support and fundraising efforts of so many that made St. Charles Plastic Surgery one of the top teams at the walk. We raised a total of $9,080 and had a total of 60 team members. Thank you for joining us in the mission to support the fighters, admire the survivors, honor the taken, and never ever giving up hope! We really appreciate it and look forward to seeing all of you again next year!
CAMPFIRE SONGS
Nothing says summer like a bonfire. Sitting around the fire roasting s’mores, laughing, and listening to some tunes. Here are a list of songs that will have everyone from young to old singing along:
“Brown Eyed Girl”—Van Morrison
“Sweet Caroline”—Neil Diamond
“Better Together”—Jack Johnson
“Sittin’ on the Dock By the Bay”–Otis Redding
“Redemption Song”—Bob Marley
“How Sweet It Is”—Marvin Gaye
Our Office Suggestions
Dr. Ghaderi: “All Summer Long”—Kid Rock
Dale: “Huntin’, Fishin’, Lovin’ Everyday”– Luke Bryan
Monica: “Summertime Sadness”-Lana Del Ray
Gabrielle: “Chicken Fried”—Zac Brown Band
TOP 5 COSMETIC SURGICAL PROCEDURES IN 2016
ASPS Reports Annual Statistics
As re-posted by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons (ASPS) in a recent media press release, 17.1 million cosmetic plastic surgery procedures were performed in the USA in 2016—a 3% increase from 2015.
Top 5 Cosmetic Surgical Procedures in 2016 Were:
Breast Augmentation (290,467 procedures, up 4% from 2015)
Liposuction (235,237 procedures, up 6% from 2015)
Nose Reshaping (223,018 procedures, up 2% from 2015)
Eyelid Surgery (209,020 procedures, up 2% from 2015)
Facelifts (131,106 procedures, up 4% from 2015)
From the American Society of Plastic Surgeon’s website, this year overall cosmetic surgical procedures grew at a high rate of 4% compared to minimally-invasive cosmetic procedures that grew at 3%. Cosmetic surgeries involving the body are still popular, but three out of five top cosmetic surgical procedures focused on the face. As stated by the ASPS President Debra Johnson, MD, “Patients are captivated by instant improvements to the face. It’s evident in the popularity of apps and filters that change how we can shape and shade our faces.” Facelifts dropped from the top five popular cosmetic procedures in 2015, but made a comeback in 2016.
KID AT HEART
Walt Disney once said, “Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.” Disney World is one of my favorite places to vacation. I appreciate all the “little things” Disney does to make sure you have a special experience – everything is themed out perfectly. My sister worked for Disney in Magic Kingdom for a semester so I was told the ins and outs of the parks. I also got engaged at Cinderella’s Castle by the wishing well. If you know me, you know I am a big kid at heart, so I appreciate Disney making me feel like a kid again.
SHAKE IT UP
One of our patients, Elaine, shared her success story on her healthy lifestyle change after surgery.
She discovered she was gluten and yeast intolerant. She researched and found that a breakfast with protein, healthy fat, and fiber was a great way to start her day. Elaine drinks her “Ultra Slim Shake” 5-6 days a week for breakfast and sometimes post work out. She highly recommends trying it! Here is the recipe:
1-2 Scoops of Protein Powder (Elaine prefers rice protein)
1 Tbsp Flaxseed Oil
2 Tbsp Ground Flaxseed
6-8oz Water
1/2 cup Non citrus Fruit
Optional: Ice, 1 Tbsp Nut Butters,1/4 cup nuts that are soaked over night
Blend all ingredients in a single serve blender and enjoy!
Recently I have found a new passion: photography. It all started with a photo challenge I found on Pinterest. The challenge had you post a picture every day on social media and would give you a different subject and/or theme the picture had to include. It really brought out the creative side in me. By doing this challenge, I found that photography is very therapeutic for me. It helped me take a step back from my busy life and just enjoy the view. I used my iPhone to take the pictures, but maybe after this I might invest in an actual camera! Here are some of the shots I took for the challenge:
