Alongside the importance of physical health and fitness, adequate rest allows our bodies the chance to repair, rebuild and strengthen themselves in time for the next session, whether that’s a workout or a night out with friends. But is one way of resting more efficient than the others?

The benefits of short rests

Let me begin by confirming: napping is good for you. When it comes to boosting our energy levels, research has shown that taking a power nap in the afternoon is more effective than drinking a cup of coffee. The effect of taking a nap also lasts much longer than caffeine and has the added benefit of having no crash at the end.

That being said, it’s still important to prioritise at least seven to nine hours of sleep per night. Because for every one hour of sleep lost a night, we need about four days of consistently good sleep to catch up and restore those energy levels.

But does that mean we should aim for a daily power nap rather than a long weekend lie-in?

Power naps v long lie-ins: are short daily rests better than one big one big sleep at the weekend?