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The Best Time for Your Health
When to: Take a Nap
When to: Take a Nap
Early afternoon is the best time to catch a few winks, thanks to a natural drowsiness-inducing dip in body temperature (and no, it isn't because of what you ate). Your circadian rhythms are also primed for sleep around this time.
Consider it time well spent — a NASA study found that pilots who napped were twice as alert and improved their performance by 34 percent. You don't have to be preparing for a space mission to benefit; a 20-minute nap can improve your work performance, your mood and help you have a better workout.
By Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie. Published February 14, 2012. Natalie Gingerich Mackenzie is a health and fitness writer in Syracuse, NY and author of the newly-released book Tone Every Inch (Rodale, 2012).
