If you’re trying to improve your sleep, thinking about doing so right before you get into bed might not be the best approach. Dr. Sara Mednick, is a cognitive neuroscientist at the University of California, Irvine, and the author of the new book The Power of the Downstate. This episode is part of our month-long “Mental Health Reboot” series to mark Mental Health Awareness Month. According to her research, Dr. Mednick says that we need to take a more holistic approach to getting better sleep, and that sleep is just one of the ways that our bodies rest and restore.  In this conversation, we talk about:The nuances of nappingDr. Mednick’s definition of the “downstate”Whether there are practices that can compensate for poor sleepWhy heart rate variability is an important measurement of healthWhy sex is so helpful for sleepAnd when to take melatonin to best effectFull Shownotes: https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast-episode/sara-mednick-445See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

For a behind the scenes look into some of the articles we read when we create the show, check out our Pocket collection at http://getpocket.com/slate.Every day around 2:00 p.m. Rob hits a brick wall. A busy job and two young children have zapped all of his energy, and he’s desperate to do something—anything—to make it through the rest of the workday. Enter the elusive and often guilt-ridden midday nap. But there too Rob struggles to really rest and then wake up without making things worse. On this episode of How To!, we bring on Dr. Sara Mednick, author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life and the forthcoming book The Hidden Power of the Downstate. Sara draws on years of research at her sleep lab to advise Rob, and all of us, how to stay energized during a long day (Hint: It might not involve napping at all).  If you liked this episode, check out: “How To Sleep” with Andy Puddicombe, co-founder of Headspace. Do you have a question with no easy answers? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show.To listen to How To! and other Slate podcasts with zero ads, read unlimited articles on Slate.com, and support Slate's journalism, sign up for Slate Plus now: slate.com/howtoplus. For a limited time only, you can get $25 off your first year. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sara Mednick, author of 'Take a Nap! Change Your Life,' discusses the benefits of napping, the science behind sleep cycles, optimal nap length, comparison of napping vs. caffeine, and strategies for fitting in naps during a busy day. The podcast explores the impact of sleep stages on performance, the importance of regular sleep patterns, and the dangers of sleep deprivation.