Abstract. The lifetimes for the second excited state in ZXNa and for the second to ninth excited states in 23Na have been determined with the DSA method using Ta20 5 and Ta as stopping materials. In the DSA analysis the experimental stopping parameters determined in the present and earlier works were utilized. The reanalysis of some earlier studies has brought very good consistency to the scattered results. Comparison of the observed transition strengths with theory has also been made.