Don’t be left at the gate this Derby weekend. Squeeze in a power nap to stay in top form through all the festivities.

Published: May 6, 2016 | Updated: November 27, 2019

Do you get seven to nine hours of sleep every night? As much as 60 percent of adults don’t. Getting just six hours of sleep a night increases the risk of being overweight by 27 percent and has other negative impacts on your health.

If you can’t get a good night’s sleep, try squeezing in a power nap.

A 20-minute nap will:

• • Boost stamina
• • Enhance alertness, concentration and motor skills
• • Lower your risk for heart-related death
• • Increase brain function by up to 40 percent

Napping versus coffee: A 20-minute nap is more effective in perking you up than 200 milligrams of caffeine (about two cups of coffee).

Best time for a nap: Eight hours after you wake up in the morning.

Set an alarm clock: Too long a nap will leave you groggy and maybe even grumpy.

For napping success: Nap in a dark room, lying down.

Are you one of the lucky ones? Just 3 percent of people have a gene that enables them to function well on just six hours of sleep.