It’s funny the way that life works sometimes. When we’re younger, we’re conditioned into habits that our parents and teachers hope will stay with us for the rest of our lives. We are taught to read, write, share and … nap.

Whether it was for my parents’ and teacher’s sake or my own sake, I can remember being forced to nap throughout my early childhood. It was a duty, an obligation. Like eating all the green things on my plate before I could eat something actually substantial (like Oreos or Little Debbie cakes), it had to be done. Thinking back, I wish that I could have traded all the time that I wasted napping back then and use it now.

According to a survey taken in 2010, 40 percent of U.S. college students feel well rested only two days of the week, and only 11 percent of college students claim to sleep well.

Unfortunately, it’s nearly impossible to find the time to sleep in college without sacrificing something, whether it’s schoolwork, socializing, exercising or other activities. Even if some of these activities are given up, it’s still often hard to find the time to get a sufficient amount of sleep.

Although it’s sometimes impossible to keep up with classes without giving up at least a few hours of sleep, an inadequate amount of sleep is thought to impact on a person’s memory and ability to learn. Studies have even shown that sleep loss reduces a person’s ability to retain recent memories.

So while students may think that they’re doing their academic lives a favor by giving up on a good night’s sleep, they’re actually decreasing their ability to do as well in school. It’s a bit of a paradox.

Admittedly, it may not be possible for students to increase the consecutive hours of sleep that they get, but they can turn to napping as a source of much needed rest.

“You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping,” says Sara C. Mednick, PhD, assistant professor of psychiatry at U. California, San Diego. “You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That’s what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost.”

Napping is meant to complement, and not replace actual sleep. Studies have shown that naps tend to make people feel better and help them to keep going until bedtime.

Tips for napping: Always set an alarm or make sure that you have someone who will wake you up, otherwise a nap could turn into a regular sleep period. Sleep in a friend’s room if your roommate won’t be around or if you’re not sure that you’ll wake up to your alarm. Schedule some sort of activity after your nap so that you can wake your body and mind up. Don’t nap for more than 30 minutes — napping for too long can leave you groggy and ruin the point of your nap.