Your secret to all-day energy

While children need naps for proper growth and development, midday snoozes aren't usually part of the working adult's schedule. It turns out, if you don't belong to a certain group of problem sleepers, a nap can be a quick and efficient way to energize your day, improve memory, and even help avoid unnecessary caffeine and diet binges. It may be time to say "hello" to an untraditional midday break.

What napping can do for you

A full night's rest can help with weight loss and keep your immune system strong. There isn't the same type of research specifically focused on naps, but there are definitely benefits, says Janet K. Kennedy, PhD, clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor. Unless you have sleep issues, a daily nap won't disrupt nighttime sleep. "When you keep a nap short, you're not allowing yourself to get into deep slow-wave sleep [like at night]," she says. It will make you feel more energized, refreshed, and you'll notice an uptick in concentration and energy level.

Who should be

If you get a healthy amount of sleep (seven to eight hours for the average adult) during the night but start to fade during the day, a nap might be for you. "The body has peaks and valleys of energy during the day, and often when people would reach for a cup of coffee or a cigarette, that would be a time during the day when a nap would be more productive," Kennedy says.  Think of naps as a calorie- and caffeine-free way to energize and refocus. 

Who shouldn’t be

Unfortunately, naps can't compensate for a full, healthy night of sleep. "The most important sleep you get is the consolidated sleep at night, and if you are having difficulties and are overcome with fatigue during the day, carrying that fatigue [into bedtime] will help more than a nap," she says. If you suffer from insomnia and restless nights, napping could in fact drive you further into the tiresome valley of sleep deprivation by tricking your body into thinking it doesn't need a full night of rest. There are, however, non-pharmacological ways you can try to improve nighttime sleep.

How to be a good napper

Follow Kennedy’s napping rules for the most effective break:

• Keep it short. 20-30 minutes is ideal for a power nap.

• Keep it early. Don't try napping too close to your normal nighttime sleep time. Finish all naps before 2:30 p.m.

• Keep it relaxing. There's nothing worse than settling down for a nap, only to toss and turn. Set an alarm so that you won't be worried about whether you’ll wake up.

Most important, however, no nap should be a forced nap. "Some people are good nappers, and some people are bad nappers," Kennedy says. If you find yourself unable to feel awake, or feel groggier after a nap than you did before, a midday snooze may not be the thing for you.