The Best Way to Nap

NAPS DON’T JUST feel amazing—they are amazing. A study published in the journal Heart found a link between healthy napping and a lowered risk of heart disease. The American Psychological Association points out that naps can improve memory, learning capacity, immune system function and mood.

- Leslie Finlay

Sara Mednick, PhD, a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and author of The Power of the Downstate, explains that when you fall asleep, your body moves through stages that each play a role in health.

Stage 1: the dozing off” period

Stage 2: muscles, heart rate and brain activity slow down

Stage 3: deep, restorative sleep