WE all know the feeling: you’re sitting at your desk or on a train, and your eyelids begin drooping uncontrollably.
Your head bobs, and the incoming nap feels almost inevitable.
Step-by-step guide on how to have a perfect nap – and why it’s so good for you
You pinch your arm to stay awake – but it’s too late; you’re already half asleep.
Unlike our Mediterranean brothers and sisters, we are largely suspicious of the adult nap (or siesta) here in Britain.
However, the Christmas holidays – especially Boxing Day – is one of the times of the year when napping is accepted, even celebrated.
Scientists remain divided on the benefits of a good-old snooze – some touting its health benefits, while others thinking of it as a disruptive menace.
The upsides of napping
Many experts back the idea that napping is good for your heart, brain and your ability to fight off disease.
One study published in the journal Heart revealed people who napped once or twice a week were 48 per cent less likely to have cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke, or heart failure.
Enjoying a siesta during the day has also been shown to slow down the rate at which your brain shrinks, and in doing so can help to ward off dementia.
According to the study, published in Sleep Health, the habit keeps the brain bigger and healthier into middle and old age.
While several studies have shown that power naps can improve immune responses.
This is because as we sleep, our bodies replenish the immune cells which help us fight off sickness.
Taking a quick nap will mean you are less likely to catch any nasty bugs or viruses.
The downsides of napping
At the other end of the debate spectrum, lies the notion that an hour-long snooze can increase the risk of diabetes – by a whopping 31 per cent, according to one study published in the British Medical Journal.
Another nap-slating study, published in April, linked a midday doze of more than 30 minutes to obesity and high blood pressure.
However, the research, which was done by Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, did caverate that “not all siestas are the same” and that factors like the length of time slept can affect the health outcomes of a nap.
It’s important to remember that napping – for any length of time -doesn’t guarantee you will develop one of these conditions, Dr Becky Spelman, psychologist and founder of Private Therapy Clinic, said.
“These correlations between diseases and napping do not necessarily imply it causes them.
“Other lifestyle factors might play a significant role such a diet.”
Steps to the perfect nap
Naps are best kept brief – about 20 minutes – and Dr Becky said just five or 10 minutes was enough.
“This provides improved alertness and performance without entering into a deep sleep,” she says.
“A 30-minute nap might cause grogginess because then you are waking from a deeper stage of sleep.”
In a short time, mini naps can reduce stress, improve mood and performance, she explained.
This has been proven by multiple big studies published everywhere from the Biology of Sport, which found a 20-minute nap increases feelings of well-being and another study in Elsevier, which concluded short naps resulted in better focus and efficiency while performing work-related tasks.
To optimise the napping experience, the doctor recommends finding a comfortable and quiet placeto drift off.
“Reduce light with blinds, curtains, or an eye mask. This signals to the body that it’s time to rest,” she says.
It’s also worth avoiding caffeine of any kind for at least three hours before your nap, she advises.
Try napping at the same time every day, she says, “this will train your body to expect rest at that time”.
“Set an alarm to prevent you from oversleeping and potentially feeling groggy or disrupting your night time sleep,” she adds.