Naps can be refreshing for some people.

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Q: I have read both positive and negative opinions about naps. I never used to nap, but recently started napping after lunch for about 30 to 40 minutes. What’s your opinion?

A: The first thing to consider is the possibility that you nap because you have developed daytime sleepiness. If so, you should consider why that is happening now. For example:

Do you take any medicine that might make you sleepy? Review your prescriptions with your pharmacist or during your next doctor’s visit.

Have you started having problems sleeping at night? If you sleep well at night and wake up refreshed, don’t worry. But if you feel groggy or have early-morning headaches, you may have sleep apnea or some other cause of interrupted sleep.

Could you be depressed? Ask yourself if you no longer enjoy activities that previously gave you pleasure and whether you feel low.

If you feel your napping may be related to these issues or other health concerns, then you should make an appointment with your doctor.

Otherwise, if you nap voluntarily and wake up refreshed afterward, enjoy it. Napping for you probably does not reflect an underlying sleep disturbance. If it refreshes your day without making it hard to sleep at night, snooze away.

For most people, napping in the early afternoon, when your body experiences a natural circadian dip, is the best way to catch a few winks without disturbing the sleep-wake cycle.

There is no consensus on how long you should nap. Some experts recommend naps last no more than 30 minutes. The limit is 60 minutes because longer naps have been linked to a higher risk of health problems like cardiovascular disease.

Try to schedule your naps and not wait until you get sleepy, which will prevent you from napping too late in the day. Keep your napping space dark, cool, and free from distractions. (But there is nothing wrong with the standard couch nap if that’s most comfortable.)

Remember to give yourself 10 minutes after napping before engaging in mentally or physically demanding tasks.

There is still some stigma about naps at work in America because of the lingering notions of decreased productivity and even laziness. But there is solid evidence that an afternoon nap can improve a worker’s cognitive performance, especially for complex tasks, and may stimulate creativity.

When NASA and the Federal Aviation Administration studied the effects of napping on pilots, they found that naps improved mental alertness and performance. Many night shift workers reportedly perked up after taking naps as brief as 15 to 20 minutes.

Howard LeWine, M.D., is an internist at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School. For additional consumer health information, please visit www.health.harvard.edu.

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