THE SIESTA revolution

ALL YOU NEED IS 20 MINUTES!

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As kids, naps are something we do begrudgingly. As adults, however, naps seem to be one of those sweet luxuries we rarely have the time for (remember sleep?!). Yet, clearing your schedule for some shut-eye can do you a world of good.

A 2019 Harvard study found regular 20-minute naps can cut the chance of a heart attack by 34 per cent. According to A.H. Beard sleep wellness expert Rachel Beard, naps can “improve mood, increase alertness and improve our physical and cognitive performance”. But not all naps are the same, and whether you reap the full benefits of a daytime siesta comes down to time, duration and place.

WHEN SHOULD YOU NAP?

If you’ve ever eaten lunch and wanted to pull your pillow out at your desk around 3pm, Rachel says if you can, do it.

“Thanks to popular carb-heavy lunches – alongside our natural circadian rhythm – our blood sugar levels and body temperature drop [and] we are set up for a good snooze,” she explains.