Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences professor William Anthony has the answer for Boston University students who are catching up on missed sleep the Monday after day light savings time.

Anthony and The Napping Company created National Napping Day in 1999 to promote the positive effects of napping and allowing people to get some much needed rest. This year, National Napping Day is April 3.

Anthony said the advantages of a taking a midday rest are obvious.

“The data is fairly clear,” he said. “Napping improves your mood, performance and allows you to persist longer. It makes sense for people to nap.”

Social and Behavioral Sciences Department Associate Professor Elaine Alpert said while she is not an expert in the field of napping, she does believe it can be valuable.

“I actually do recommend that people have a chill-out, meditation or rest period everyday, and for some, a nap may be a good way to do this,” she said in an email. “Not only do I find that most people get too little sleep at night on a consistent basis, but also that peoples’ days have become quite chaotic and pressured.”

Anthony said most people do not get enough rest and because of this, napping can be beneficial.

“The majority of Americans are sleep deprived,” he said. “Anyone who is sleep deprived should nap. The next best thing to eight hours of sleep is a nap.”

According to Anthony, many people do not nap because American culture is against it.

“I think society sees napping as slothful,” he said. “If you look at the words associated with taking a nap they are terms like ‘sneaking a nap’ and ‘stealing a nap.’ There is a prejudice against napping.”

Anthony recommends that people make snoozes a part of their daily routine.

“People need to schedule naps just like they schedule lunch,” he said.

College of Communication freshman Kyle Stegina said he believes reserving a specific time to nap is very important.

“Napping has to fit into your schedule,” he said. “It is not a spontaneous act. It’s like going to the gym. If you don’t follow your trend, it’s not going to work out for you.”

Anthony suggests that people should nap for however long they see fit.

“Napping is in the eyes of the beholder,” he said. “Some people find benefit in five or 10 minute naps, but most people have to figure out what’s good for them.”

For COM freshman Sean Fazende, three hours is a productive nap.

“I stay up really late,” he said, “so I need something to get me through the day.”

Alpert said she thinks napping loses its benefit after a certain time.

“Brief ‘power naps’ or meditation periods of 20 minutes or so seem to work best,” she said. “More extended sleep leaves people fuzzy and off balance.”

Stegina also said he prefers shorter rests.

“I nap for 45 minutes because anything after 45 minutes gives you the groggy, I-just-woke-up-from-sleeping feeling,'” he said.

But even if National Napping Day is under the radar, when pressed, many people admitted to taking naps.

“I sometimes close my office door and shut my eyes for brief periods of time,” Alpert said, “but there is no place to nap in my office, and I don’t think society is nap-supportive at all.”