<div><p>You may have heard of the 'siesta' - a short nap taken in the early afternoon, around midday when the weather is warm. </p><p>This Mediterranean and Southern European tradition is something you might want to look into after reading about the benefits of napping according to this sleep expert!</p><p><a href="http://amzn.to/2nHw12T">Sex, Sleep, Eat, Drink, Dream: A Day In The Life Of Your Body</a> author, Jennifer Aikerman says <strong>naps boost alertness, creativity, mood, and productivity in the later hours of the day.</strong></p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/635976501537309894-255998075_cat-napping-on-a-keyboard_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p>But knowing how long to sleep is important to the quality of nap you get. <strong>Over 90 minutes and you'll experience sleep inertia:</strong> a feeling of grogginess and a desire to return to sleep, rather than feeling refreshed. </p><p>So what's the best nap time?</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook.jpg" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_550px.jpg 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_650px.jpg 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_750px.jpg 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_850px.jpg 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_950px.jpg 950w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1050px.jpg 1050w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1150px.jpg 1150w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1250px.jpg 1250w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1350px.jpg 1350w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1450px.jpg 1450w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1550px.jpg 1550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/o-NAP-AT-WORK-facebook_GH_content_1630px.jpg 1630w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p><strong>The optimal nap time for that refreshed, spring-in-your-step feeling is 45 minutes or less. </strong></p><p>"Naps make you brainier, healthier, safer. But to understand how you can nap best, you need to understand your body," writes Ackerman.</p><p>Check out the chart below to get your best sleep yet!</p><div><figure><amp-img src="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2.png" srcset="https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2_GH_content_550px.png 550w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2_GH_content_650px.png 650w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2_GH_content_750px.png 750w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2_GH_content_850px.png 850w, https://www.shared.com/content/images/2017/03/32-2_GH_content_950px.png 950w" sizes="89vw" title="" alt="" height="9" width="16" layout="responsive"></amp-img></figure></div><p><strong>Are you a napper? Let us know your optimal time in the comments below!</strong></p><p>[Source: <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2009/jan/27/napping-guide-health-wellbeing">The Guardian</a>]</p><p><!-- [invalid-shortcode] --></p><p></p></div>