SNOOZE CONTROL

It’s official! Enjoying a siesta can improve your mood and energy levels – but only if you sleep like a pro

- JOSIE COPSON

There are only so many hours in the day but you should use yours productively by taking a nap. Yep, that’s right. Sleeping in the afternoon is far from lazy – it’s smart.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a daytime doze can increase productivity and rejuvenate you. Consider it an interval, allowing you to put on a fab finale. Dr Verena Senn, neurobiologist and head of sleep research at Emma – The Sleep Company, is a big fan of naps, too.

She says, “Research has shown that naps help to ‘reboot’ your brain by allowing your body to enter the early, restorative stages of sleep.

“This improves your memory, learning, reaction time and logistical reasoning. It also lets you approach the rest of your day from a fresh perspective.

“In fact, naps are so effective that even athletes such as Usain Bolt praise them. He’s been known to take regular naps in the hours leading up to competitions, including before his world record-breaking 100m in 2009.”

Dr Senn adds, “Western nations are predominantly set to a monophasic sleep schedule, which means all our sleep comes in one sitting.”