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Getting healthy sleep is one of Life’s Essential 8 — key measures for improving and maintaining cardiovascular health, as defined by the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥. Better cardiovascular health helps lower the risk for heart disease,  and other major health problems.

Let’s see how naps fit in.

Do you take naps? Maybe you should! A good nap can get you out of that afternoon slump, recharge your energy, and leave you more alert and in a better mood. But when, where and how long? Get the secrets to a successful power nap.

Now, here’s a quick quiz.

• Do you get less than the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep each night?
• After lunch, do you start to feel cranky and irritable?
• Are you bright and alert in the morning, but find it hard to concentrate by the afternoon?
• Do you need another cup of coffee or a sugary energy drink just to make it to dinner?

If you answered “yes” to any of the above, this oldie-but-goodie might be for you: napping. That’s right, naps aren’t just for kids anymore. Research has shown that, even among adults, naps provide many benefits to help you make it through the day.

Benefits of napping

Increased alertness:: It’ll be easier to pay attention during your staff meeting — or while driving your forklift — if you can avoid nodding off or spacing out.

Attitude adjustment: After a nap, you’ll be less impulsive and better able to deal with frustration — in other words, you’ll be in a better mood. Napping kills the crankiness.

Improved memory: When your computer crashes, you lose data. But when you crash on the couch for a while, it actually helps your memory. A nap can make it easier to recall facts learned earlier that day.

A creative mindset: You need sleep to learn new skills and to be creative (that’s when your brain can finally process the info you’ve stuffed into it). The good news is that a long nap can be similar to a night’s sleep to get you inspired.

Cash saver: You probably know that energy drinks and too much coffee aren’t good for you and aren’t as good for your brain as a nap, but have you calculated how much money you’d save by replacing costly trips to the cafe with free naps?

How to nap smart

Maybe you’ve decided that napping sounds like a plan. If you’re going to give napping a try, do it right. It’s not as simple as nodding off any time you feel an inkling to yawn.

When: Mid-afternoon is best (around 3 p.m.). Don’t nap too late in the day, or you’ll be wide awake at night and spoil your bedtime routine.

Where: Find a cool, quiet place to doze. Maybe your car during a break, if you don’t want the boss to catch you snoozing. (That said, many companies are starting to wise up by letting employees lie down for a break.)

How long: You don’t want to wake up in the middle of deep sleep or you’ll be even groggier than when you started. For a short nap, keep it to 20 minutes, no longer than 30.

Note: If you still plan on supplementing your nap with a cup of coffee, drink it before you nod off. It takes time for caffeine to activate, and it is likely to kick in right as you wake up from a short snooze.

Plan your nap now

Want to super-charge your afternoon? Plan your snooze in advance and it’ll be a lot smoother. 

1. Pick a time today, tomorrow or later this week when you could use a recharge.
2. Now, determine where you’ll nap: in your car, at your desk or a comfy spot at home.
3. Finally, put it on your calendar.

Now relax, and get those bonus Zs, so you can be Healthy For Good!