7 reasons you need a SUMMER SIESTA

From boosting heart health to improving your mood, there's more to a daytime snooze than simply beating tiredness

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Heat making you sleepy? You're not the only one. Our internal body temperature is partly to blame - its efforts to keep us cool during the sunny season by producing sweat can leave us feeling fatigued and irritable.

But the good news is, the remedy can be as simple as taking an afternoon nap. Yes, really. In fact, research shows a dose of afternoon ZZZS can boost levels of alertness by 54%*. Intrigued? Here's why a well-timed sleep could work for you...

1 Help balance your hormones

'Adequate sleep is essential for maintaining healthy levels of the hormones that control our appetite, stress and blood glucose levels,' explains clinical hypnotherapist and psychologist Holly Buckley. If these are out of alignment, your energy levels will be affected, too.

TRY: Timing your nap so it's only for 30 minutes - this helps to reset the hormonal impact of a poor night's sleep. Set an alarm, then make your room as dark as possible - natural light can suppress the sleep hormone, melatonin, disrupting your sleep-wake cycle.

2 Boost your focus

Soaring temperatures causing brain fog? A short power nap could do the trick, according to a study from China, which found a link between regular afternoon napping and better cognitive function in adults. This is because, by letting your brain rest, you're giving it time to replenish its energy.