A method for setting a period in a body area network (BAN) having two or more types of virtual basic service sets (BSSs) according to a type of a supported application is provided. The method includes: transmitting BAN BSS type information of a BAN BSS corresponding to an application to be supported by a device (DEV) to a central point (CP); receiving BAN BSS configuration information corresponding to the BAN BSS type information; and transmitting data to the CP in an active period according to duty cycle information included in the BAN BSS configuration information. Accordingly, the BAN BSS can be suitably managed for the application.