Best time of the day to...

have a siesta - 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Experts used to think afternoon sleepiness was the result of a big lunch & intake of carbs, but "we have found that in the early afternoon there's a dip in body temperature, which causes sleepiness", says Lucy, The Busy Girls' Lifestyle Coach.

Just as a similar decrease encourages you to shut down at bedtime, this midday dip can make you crave a siesta. An ideal nap, Lucy recommends, should last 15 to 20 minutes. More than 30 and you may end up with sleep inertia & feel even more groggy when the nap's over.


Lucy says that early afternoon is indeed when your circadian rhythms (the pattern of physical & mental changes we each repeat every 24 hours) are "more likely to want your body to sleep."

So, next time it gets to 2.30 & your eyes are shutting, try a quick power nap to perk up (as long as you've not in the office of course!)... oh, and let us know how you get on! feedback@busygirlsguide.co.uk