Power Up with a Power Nap

Naps, that many of us sneak guiltily on sick days or while away on holiday, are actually good for us, scientists say. Perfecting the art of the power snooze can recharge your brain in as little as 8-10 minutes, and go some way to repairing the damage done to our memory and energy levels by disrupted night slumber.

Naps aren't a substitute for nighttime sleep, but they offer a great energy-rejuvenation break. Your goal should still be to get enough sleep at night, but a quick nap is a legitimate plan B.

Restoring your energy levels needn't be a long and drawn-out affair; it can be incredibly efficient. A study published l by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Centre, found that as few as 8.4 minutes of sleep in the middle of the day increases cognitive function and alertness. The 21st-century nap is short, strategic, and purposeful. Set your alarm based on which of the following four outcomes you desire:

An energy boost

There are five stages of sleep, each one reflecting the body and brain's progressive relaxation. Stage one and two are lighter phases of sleep that will leave you refreshed. You'll reap the benefits after as few as eight minutes, but don't let this kind of snooze last longer than 30 minutes. The effects of a quickie post-lunch nap like this can last at least three hours, just long enough to get you through the 3 p.m. doldrums. As a bonus, add a coffee just before you go to sleep – caffeine takes 15 to 30 minutes to kick in, so it's a natural alarm clock, and you'll be extremely efficient when you wake up!

A better memory

After 45 to 90 minutes, nappers enter stage three and four sleep, which improves memory by about 20 percent for tasks including word association and puzzles. Emotions rooted in memory become more balanced, too. You'll be calmer and less prone to overindulgence. Allow 15 minutes after waking to shake off residual grogginess before you hit full pace.

Creative inspiration

After 90 minutes, you'll enter deep REM (rapid eye movement) sleep, or stage five, which boosts performance on creative problem-solving. 'Sleeping on it' really can help if you think about what you'd like to achieve  – while you sleep, or upon waking, your brain will dredge up potentially helpful information that might otherwise be discarded.

Sleep tight!