Doctor reveals two rules everyone needs for 'the perfect nap'

A doctor has said that if you want to nap during the day without ruining your sleep at night, you need to stick to two rules - when you sleep and how long for. According to Dr Neena Chandrasekaran, a specialist in pulmonary and critical care medicine, we need to sleep between 12pm and 2pm.

Under the username , she said that these are "things they don't tell you" when it comes to resting. She explained: "If you or somebody who likes to nap, the best time to take a nap is between 12pm to 2pm.

"This is because your circadian rhythm takes a dip [during these hours]. And if you’re napping during this time this time, you won’t avoid messing with your sleep schedule."

If it gets to 3pm and you're about to have a nap, stop. "Avoiding naps past 3pm can help keep your normal sleep regulated", she said. "However if you do have a sleep week cycle disorder or you work night shift, this can be different.

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So how long can we sleep for? Dr Chandrasekaran said: "The optimal nap time is 20 minutes and this has been shown to help you get back on track and feel rested."

Not only that, but it allows your body to fully rest. If you nap for more than 20 minutes, it can 'cause you to get groggy and feel over sleepy compared to the perfect 20 minute nap'.

In a, the doctor also noted that daytime naps can be very beneficial. Urging people to stop napping too much and at the wrong time, she says: "Research now shows daytime napping can slow shrinkage of the brain by decreasing the rate.

"A study analysing ages 49 to 67 years old found a link between regular napping and larger brain volumes."

This increased volume means that it can help reduce the risk of common conditions. "Larger brain volume is associated with decreased risk of dementia, decreased neuro-cognitive deficit and better cognitive brain function as we age," she says.