Great article in the BBC describing how air traffic controllers in the US have been advised to nap for 26 minutes!

Referring to a 1995 study from Nasa, which he co-authored, National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) member and fatigue expert Mark Rosekind said that a 26-minute nap would improve performance by 34% and alertness by 54%.

Some very unscientific research in at “home” (okay, read office) is that any longer than 20 minutes and you risk feeling groggy when you wake up. The article suggests that a coffee and a 15-minute nap – by which time the caffeine has kicked in –  is the optimum.

So next time you are asleep on the keyboard remember the facts!

Research into exercise and the immune system has shown that being fit and in shape could reduce the chances of your getting a cold by up to 50%.

As reported by the BBC, 1,000 participants were recorded over the winter months and told to note when they were experiencing a cold or similar symptoms. When the results came back it was found that older married men who ate fruit were the ones who best avoided colds. However, the most crucial factor related to the participant’s fitness levels.

The immune system is stronger in a person who exercises a lot compared to someone who is relatively out of shape. Even when they did catch a cold, the relative severity of it was much reduced in those who deemed themselves to be relatively fit. Dr David Nieman and his team, from Appalachian State University in North Carolina, say bouts of exercise spark a temporary rise in immune system cells circulating around the body that can attack foreign invaders. These levels are reduced after a few hours, however, but each bout of exercise would help to beat a cold.

It is very unlikely that a human being will escape infection altogether in a year. Adults with regular contact with children, particularly in schools, will be the most vulnerable and at risk. Cold viruses are usually passed on through contact with an infected person or contact with contaminated surfaces.

All of which serves to underline what we already know - exercise is good for you!