We all know how important it is for young children to have their daily nap (otherwise they turn into little handfuls early in the evening), but what about napping for adults? Siestas, nana naps, power naps – call them what you will, they have major benefits to brain function, health and wellbeing.

Benefits to the body include better heart function, hormonal maintenance and cell repair. Researchers tracked 23,681 Greek men for six years. Those who napped three times a week had a 37 per cent reduced risk of dying from heart disease

Many companies are installing "nap pods" to encourage staff to recharge via a quick snooze. Credit:Craig Sillitoe

Napping can help you live longer, stay more active and look younger. It recharges the brain resulting in greater alertness, improved memory retention and creative insight. Napping can make you a faster typist or a better dancer, and improve motor skills and coordination. Effects on mental health include improved mood, decreased stress and greater psychological balance. Power naps increase memory by almost 20 per cent during the remainder of the day and research conducted at Harvard highlights a power nap significantly improves performance on repetitive perceptual and cognitive tasks.

How little, how long?