The science of the past few decades has shown that taking a nap may increase our productivity, boost our cognitive abilities, and take us closer to the limits of athletic performance. In various cultures around the world, napping is considered an important part of everyday life. And yet, so many of us consider napping a waste of time—something that’s unproductive, lazy, or childish. Is our dismissal of napping holding us back?

In The Unappreciated Power of Naps, sleep researcher and clinical psychologist Dr. Jade Wu will uncover the truth about napping and its amazing benefits for both mind and body. Across six revealing lectures, you’ll examine what science tells us about the benefits—and, yes, the potential downsides—of napping, including:

• The positive influence of naps on cognitive skills, including memory, vigilance, and mental processing speed;
• The benefit of brief periods of sleep for enhancing physical performance, from increased muscle strength to greater jump velocity to higher endurance, and more; and
• The troubling potential links between excessive sleeping and health conditions like heart disease and dementia.

To better understand the mental and physical benefits of naps, Dr. Wu will give you a crash course on how sleep works and the important differences between short rests and a full sleep. You’ll also learn the truth about some very prevalent myths about sleep and discover why we have so many misconceptions about our needs and habits when it comes to rest patterns.

As you will see, sleep is not one-size-fits-all but rather a highly personal and individual part of your life that changes based on age, lifestyle, and health conditions. While the body is very good at regulating itself, our busy lives can disrupt our natural and much-needed rest cycles. With Dr. Wu’s guidance, you’ll have the tools to better craft your own personalized approach to resting and recharging, in the way that best suits you.