I have the urge to nap almost every day whether I’m tired or not and I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. Napping is actually good for you.

It is suggested that you only need 20 -30 minutes for a nap otherwise you go into a deep REM state and can wake up groggy.

And the early afternoon is considered the best time to nap as it coincides with a natural dip in alertness - my favourite time of day, just after lunch when I find a quiet comfortable chair or sofa, still my surroundings, take off my glasses, turn off my phone, turn the TV down or off, grab a blanket or sweater to throw over me and put my timer on for 20 minutes, put my feet up and close my eyes. I shut my eyes for a few minutes – that’s all you need. Then wake up refreshed to finish off the day.

If you do nap, you are in good company with the likes of Albert Einstein, Salvador Dali, Leonardo da Vinci, Thomas Edison, Winston Churchill, Frank Lloyd Wright, Napoleon Bonaparte and even Aristotle. They all took pleasure in napping and it seemed to work for their creative genius proving that sleep is good for your brain.

All you need is 20 minutes to reap the benefits. So here are 5 great benefits to look forward to indulging in nap time.

1.    After the short rest, you’ll have increased alertness and you won’t feel sleepy for the rest of the day. You’ll be more energetic and less sleepy.

2.    Mood regulating emotions can be improved by releasing mood boosting chemicals in your body. Along with more energy will come improved emotional responses meaning that the rest will improve your resilience to moodiness and emotional ups and downs so you will be more able to handle those difficult times. Ever wonder why parents tell cranky children to go take a nap. Now you know why.

3.    And here’s a good one for us seniors who can’t remember where we put our keys or why we came into this room in the first place; taking a nap enhances memory and consolidates memories and recall.

4.    Taking a nap will relieve your stress. Certain stress hormones like cortisol are released after a rest and you feel more relaxed and less anxious.

5.    Boosts performance and creativity by allowing the brain to process and store information. With this enhanced cognitive performance, your reaction times will increase, and you can go back to work and be more productive and efficient. The secret to why those successful artists and scientists partook in the daily nap.

And bonus, sometimes naps can even boost your immune system functions reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. Now isn’t that something to look forward to.

So, don’t feel guilty if you dose off, you’re worth it, you need it, you deserve it and it’s good for you. Go take a nap!