Although today’s work and social schedule may curtail obese children from taking a snooze, it can be heart protective.

As a little girl I would go on vacation to my grandmother’s house. Just the two of us for a week. We played, we laughed, we cooked and baked, buzzed off to the beach and strolled around town. One of her rituals was inviolate, and no amount of whining ever dissuaded her. After lunch, she would take to her bed for a short nap. I could either nap along or play quietly. Now a Harvard study has confirmed her innate knowledge.

By taking a nap as few as three times a week, we can reduce our risk of dying from heart disease to 37 percent less than those who stayed awake all day.

Bleary-eyed as they often are, it still unsettles to learn that at least 85% of American teens aren’t getting enough sleep. Now is a great time to help teens, obese children and adults build better sleep habits and get rested.