Welcome to the final, somnolent chapter of Sleep, But Better.

This is a bonus email on the pros and cons of napping.

The research is not necessarily pro or con, but cautionary. Hint: If reading this in the middle of the day makes you sleepy, you likely should nap.

When done right, a little daytime siesta won't destroy your nighttime sleep. In fact, napping reduces fatigue, boosts creativity, increases alertness, jump starts cognitive and job performance, and improves mood. Just make sure you limit your nap to about 20 minutes, and don't take it too close to bedtime.

While an occasional short snooze can be healthy, the World Sleep Society warns: "If you are in the habit of taking siestas, do not exceed 45 minutes of daytime sleep."

One reason is because we typically enter a "deep sleep" cycle about 30 to 40 minutes into a nap. Waking up from deep sleep produces that "Where am I?" grogginess that is worse than no nap at all. A long nap can also interfere with your body clock, making it more difficult to fall asleep later that night.

Generally, catnaps that are approximately 15 to 20 minutes are fine, experts say. And try to do them earlier in the day -- before 3 p.m. -- to avoid affecting that night's full sleep cycle.

One last thing to keep in mind: The reason you feel you need naps during the day may be because of poor sleep at night. Ideally, you’re getting your needed seven to nine hours every night and that reduces a need for naps. If you’re having trouble sleeping soundly at night, look back over previous challenges of this series and find opportunities to improve it.

Because caffeine takes about 30 minutes to kick in after you consume it, drinking a cup of coffee or caffeinated tea may be ideal before a nap because it can help you wake up out of it.

Did You Know?

Giraffes sleep, on average, for less than two hours a day and koalas sleep as many as 22 hours a day.

Healthy Hint

Up to 6,000 fatal crashes each year may be caused by drowsy drivers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you find yourself sleepy behind the wheel with no other options, find a safe place to pull over and take a 30-minute nap. Your life, and others, may depend on it.

Quirky Sleep Solution

Have you seen the Ostrich Pillow? The giant full-head nap cushion might be worth trying, if you don’t mind looking like you’re wearing a giant oven mitt over your head. The company sells others that are smaller and make you look more like a blind superhero.

That’s all folks. We hope you’re sleeping more and deeper for having joined us on this journey and taken on the challenges designed to increase your odds of getting better shut-eye.

Recommend this to your friends who may look like they need a sleep intervention too (you’ll recognize the signs). If you find your sleep is suffering and you need a refresher, come on back and hack your way to better asleep with us again. We’ll keep the light off.

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