With "nap studios" popping up around the country, what was once associated with laziness and cranky toddlers has become cool, says Dr. Philip Gehrman, an assistant professor of psychology at the University of Pennsylvania.And for good reason: Midday sleeping can reduce drowsiness while seriously improving performance, productivity, creativity, memory and mood. Naps may even help your immune system and slash your risk for cardiovascular disease. That said, mistreat nap time and you will compromise p.m. sleep, negating all your best efforts. Here맥스카지노�s how to nap like a pro.Aim for 90 minutes, topsIf you need a quick pick-me-up, a nap that lasts between 15 and 30 minutes (not including the time it takes to fall asleep) will spike alertness, says Gehrman.Feeling mentally blocked? Opt for a longer hibernation. 맥스카지노�A 90-minute nap can help you decompress and get creative juices flowing because it covers a full sleep cycle, taking you from the lightest to deepest stages of sleep and back so you wake up refreshed,맥스카지노� says Dr. Sara Mednick, an associate professor at the University of California at Irvine and author of "Take a Nap! Change Your Life."But be vigilant about your nap timing: Waking mid-cycle (when you맥스카지노�re in the deepest rest stage) can cause sleep inertia, that groggy feeling that can be hard to shake, so set an alarm and don맥스카지노�t hit the snooze button. To fend off post-nap fuzziness after slumber of any length, plan an activity (like dinner with a friend) that requires you to make decisions (e.g., what to wear) 20 minutes after you rouse. This gives your mind and body time to awaken and a reason to perk up.Skip your pre-nap workoutDebating whether to gym it before or after your nap? Choose the latter. Exercise can stimulate the brain, making sleep more difficult, and you don맥스카지노�t want to miss out on those Zs: 맥스카지노�While exercise has its own energy-boosting benefits, it doesn맥스카지노�t give your brain and body the rest they need to recoup,맥스카지노� said Gehrman. Want more incentive? Many fitness experts swear a power nap (half-hour, tops) can pump new life into your session. If this strategy really doesn맥스카지노�t suit your schedule, don맥스카지노�t stress; just sweat at least two hours before you hope to crash. That맥스카지노�s plenty of time for your elevated heart rate and body temperature to drop back to normal so you can pass out quickly.Be consistent with your napsTry to nap around the same time every day (even if you can only fit in weekend rests). 맥스카지노�By sticking to a schedule, your body learns when to power down, so you can fall asleep faster and be less disoriented when you wake up,맥스카지노� said Gehrman. Most people naturally feel fatigued between 2 and 4 p.m., but if your body gives tiredness cues (your head starts to drop, you feel foggy or you can맥스카지노�t stop yawning) earlier or later, that맥스카지노�s the time you should curl up. The exception is if you don맥스카지노�t get a chance to fulfill the urge until three or four hours before bedtime. Snoozing that late can sabotage nighttime winks, so instead, try to hit the hay a half-hour earlier.Make yourself as comfortable as possibleSome people claim napping sans blanket or with a light on prevents oversleeping, but you맥스카지노�ll likely end up tossing and turning because you맥스카지노�re not comfy, Gehrman says. Worse, you맥스카지노�ll condition yourself to link putting your feet up with wakefulness, which, in the long run, can mess with your ability to fall and stay asleep. So go ahead and find a snuggly spot to get cozy 맥스카지노� may we suggest the couch? 맥스카지노�I wake up easier from my sofa because my mind separates it from actual bedtime,맥스카지노� said Mednick. Once again, the most important factor in great napping is consistency.Don't push yourself to take a nap if you just can'tHere맥스카지노�s the thing: Not everyone is a napper. In fact, about 50% of people don맥스카지노�t benefit from naps in terms of alertness and productivity, according to Mednick맥스카지노�s research. If you맥스카지노�re a non-napper, you probably have a monophasic circadian rhythm, which is a fancy way of saying you rise and fall (into bed) with the light-dark cycle rather than being able to doze whenever. But it could also mean you맥스카지노�re simply well-rested. Give yourself a month of thrice-weekly attempts before formally denouncing naps. If by then you still can맥스카지노�t snooze or you wake up more tired or cranky, try meditation or 맥스카지노�quiet rest맥스카지노� 맥스카지노� where you맥스카지노�re awake in a dimly lit area but not taking in new information, so no reading or Netflix. This article originally appeared in the July/August 2018 issue of Women's Health magazine.