Grandchildren are the focus of grandparents' love. Whether they are younger or older, grandparents find joy in their grandchildren. They are no longer parenting, or bringing up their children, who are now building a life and family of their own. Grandparents see beyond their immediate family worries and look toward fulfillment with their grandchildren. This column will be looking at various topics that concern grandparents in the twenty-first century.

Grandparents and grandchildren have a number of things in common. One of them is naptime. It is certainly part of a preschooler's daily routine, but as we grow older it becomes more difficult to keep a daily afternoon naptime. Nevertheless, as grandparents grow older and some may be minding their grandchildren, an afternoon siesta could certainly be a beneficial shared activity. Besides, results of research at the University of California, Berkley (UCB), suggest that napping can boost and restore brain power.

Matthew Walker, an assistant professor of psychology at UCB stated that taking an afternoon nap allows the brain to clear its short-term memory storage and allows it to absorb new information. This is how children can soak up so much in their early years. Dozing off too long, however, may interfere with night-time sleep.

Previous research has shown that regular naps help reduce heart-related death in 40<>percentage<> of adults. Also, poor sleep habits have been seen to contribute to increased stress, obesity, diabetes, and unhappiness. The National Public Health Institute in Helsinki, Finland, has found that a sleep deprived lifestyle can affect the brain, emotions, and mood, which can lead to a dissatisfaction with life.

UCB suggests some quick tips for power napping;

- Find a sleep spot.
- Control the light, noise and temperature.
- Turn off the cell phone.
- Set a regular time (2;00 p.m.).
- Set an alarm if you're worried about taking 80 winks, instead of 40.
- Enjoy your nap and get over the guilt.

So there you are. Both grandparents and grandchildren can benefit from restorative afternoon naps and increase their brain power at the same time.

Grandparents are God's gifts to children. And if they can but see, hear and feel what these people have to give, they can mature at a fast rate. --Bill Cosby