Although naps will not help make up for inadequate sleep, taking them can give your mental health a boost in cognitive performances on tasks that involves things like memory or recognition speed. Furthermore, a team of researchers conducting studies on naps have discovered that the best time to take them is right after lunch!
After assessing nearly three thousand participants, the best results came from the group that took a nap after their midday meal. These people performed the highest on cognitive tasks. Furthermore, the team of researchers discovered that an hour-long nap was most optimal for brain functioning. Participants in the study who napped for a shorter duration of time or did not nap at all had worst cognitive performances. In other words, they performed as if they were cognitively older. For those who slept one hour, not only did they perform better, but they achieved the same results as that of people five years younger!
Overall, it's not only important to keep your body physically healthy and active, but also your brain. What easier way than to sleep?
Source material from PsyBlog