When done right, a little daytime siesta won't destroy your nighttime sleep. In fact, napping reduces fatigue, boosts creativity, increases alertness, jump starts cognitive and job performance, and improves mood. Just make sure you limit your nap to about 20 minutes, and don't take it too close to bedtime.
While an occasional short snooze can be healthy, the World Sleep Society warns: "If you are in the habit of taking siestas, do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep."
One reason is because we typically enter a "deep sleep" cycle about 30 to 40 minutes into a nap. Waking up from deep sleep produces that "Where am I?" grogginess that is worse than no nap at all. A long nap can also interfere with your body clock, making it more difficult to fall asleep later that night.
Generally, catnaps that are approximately 15 to 20 minutes are fine, experts say. And try to do them earlier in the day -- before 3 p.m. -- to avoid affecting that night's full sleep cycle.
One last thing to keep in mind: The reason you feel you need naps during the day may be because of poor sleep at night. Ideally, you're getting your needed seven to nine hours every night and that reduces a need for naps. If you're having trouble sleeping soundly at night, look back over previous challenges of this series and find opportunities to improve it.
