The secret to success could be snoozing on the job

GEORGE Costanza was right. Bosses may frown on workers slipping under the desk for a quick nap — but they may thank you in the long run.

TAKING an hour-long nap in the afternoon can improve memory and thinking, experts believe.

Older people who miss out on a siesta after lunch have the mental ability expected of someone five-years older, their new findings show, The Sun reports.

Researchers have examined the sleeping patterns of nearly 3000 Chinese adults aged 65 and older to learn whether taking an afternoon nap had any effect on mental health.

Nearly 60 per cent of the people in the study, published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, said they napped after lunch for between 30 and 90 minutes.

The average nap time was about 63 minutes.

The participants took several tests to asses their mental status, answering simple questions about the date, time of year and basic maths problems.

They were also asked to memorise words and pictures from geometric patterns.

Those who took an hour-long nap performed better on the mental tests compared to those who did not nap.

Furthermore, those who napped for an hour did better than those who took shorter or longer naps.

People who took no naps, short naps, or longer naps experienced a decrease in their mental ability that was four to six times greater than those who took hour-long naps.

Taking a nap in the afternoon could also ensure you get a good nights sleep as well.

Participants who reported less napping during the afternoon tended to have less night-time sleep, the study found.

This article originally appeared on The Sun and was reproduced with permission.