Do you have 20-30 minutes a day that you could squeeze out of your busy schedule that would decrease your stress and improve your performance? If so, do what tech giants Apple, Google, and Facebook do. If you go on campus at these companies, you will see “nap pods” in various locations inside the company. So why do these top companies allow their employees to nap on the job?

Research has consistently shown that getting adequate amounts of sleep is one of the best ways to strengthen your brainpower. Sleep research shows that dream sleep, which is sometimes called REM sleep, allows memory to consolidate. REM also decreases stress and improves both physical and mental performance.

In contrast, when you’re tired, the brain shifts its functions from the fatigued areas to less effective secondary areas. You may feel like you’re functioning well, but it’s the “second team” that’s really playing.

So, when you’re tired in the afternoon, you’re better off taking a quick 20-30 minute nap rather than trying to power past the fatigue with caffeine or sugar. Try it out and see if it works for you!