Naps: Good or Bad?

Jennifer Liu

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

We’ve all encountered a lazy afternoon, and with a belly stuffed with food, sleep echoes in our minds begging us to shut our eyes. The food acts as an anchor, dragging you towards the couch, ready to pull you towards a food coma. You check the clock and are met with red numbers reading 1:21 PM; if you sleep now, you’ll probably clock out for 3 or 4 hours. Alternatively, you could try to snap out of your food induced drowsiness, muster up some energy, and attempt to work. A nap for you has always been a dangerous weapon to counter fatigue. Sometimes they give you nothing but a back ache and more drowsiness to boot, while others (see: better) have you waking up full of energy and refreshed. Today we settle this age old debate about these lazy afternoons: should we take naps?

There is, unfortunately, no simple answer to this question, as there are both pros and cons to napping. Before discussing the two sides, note that there are 3 different types of napping: appetitive, recovery and essential napping [2, 3]. The type that is important, however, is recovery napping; these are the naps we use to combat sudden fatigue or drowsiness to continue work. However, the other two types of naps also have important uses that we shouldn’t overlook. Appetitive naps are taken for those who enjoy naps as a pastime and have been found to improve mood and energy level. Essential naps are important for the body when overcome with sickness. The body uses these naps to generate energy for the immune system to use to fight infections [3]. 

Recovery naps, if done right, can be extremely beneficial for the body. A few benefits include, improved memory, alertness, and quicker reaction time [4]. In fact, a study conducted by NASA found that naps improved cognitive performance by 40% and alertness by 100% [2]. Naps aren’t just limited to physical benefits; they can also improve your mental health. Naps have been shown to improve mood, and for those under stressful situations, naps can act as a mini-vacation for relaxation [2, 4]. Some companies such as Google and NASA are even implementing “nap pods” where workers can nap for 20 minutes to stay productive and focused. The results have been astounding, with alertness improving by 54% in the listed companies [3].

Napping the wrong way, however, could have many negative effects on your health. Some of these adverse effects include poor cognitive functioning, nighttime sleep problems, and even a lower life expectancy [6]. It is also important to note that napping does not contribute to your sleep at night: napping for two hours cannot replace two hours of nighttime sleep. In fact, napping for that long could make sleeping at night harder, leaving you with a mere 6 hours [1]. Let it be known, however, that there is a “correct” way to nap and avoid experiencing these nasty side effects.

The “correct” way to nap is to do so briefly, for around 20-30 minutes which will allow for improved alertness without the annoying grogginess once you wake up [2]. Keep in mind that your sleep environment plays a significant role in determining whether a nap is good or bad. Make sure you sleep in a room with a comfortable temperature with dim lighting, and try to limit any loud sounds from disturbing your sleep [2, 4]. The time you decide to nap is also a key factor: Scientists recommend that you sleep during the early afternoon from 2 PM to 3 PM [4, 5]. Using these tips could help you save time as well as  keep you alert during the day.

The next time you encounter a lazy afternoon with heavy eyelids, perhaps consider a nap to stay focused and energized for the rest of the day. Just make sure to limit your nap times so they don’t take away from your rest at night. Spending a small 30 minutes to re-energize is worth the time spent; forcing yourself to chug through the day feeling sluggish isn’t going to help anyone. For an improved body and mind, take a nap — correctly.

References

[1] European Society of Cardiology. Long naps may be bad for health. ScienceDaily, 26 Aug. 2020, www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2020/08/200826083021.htm.

[2] Fry, Alexa. "Napping." Edited by Kimberly Troung. Sleep Foundation, OneCare Media, 9 Oct. 2020, www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/napping. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

[3] Grasshopper Resources. "Power Naps: The Secret Weapon Your Business Might Be Missing." Grasshopper, grasshopper.com/resources/articles/nap-time-in-the-workplace/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

[4] Mayo Clinic Staff. "Napping: Do's and don'ts for healthy adults." Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (MFMER), 13 Nov. 2020, www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/napping/art-20048319. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

[5] National Sleep Foundation. What's The Best Time Of The Day To Nap? Sleep.org, OneCare Media, www.sleep.org/whats-the-best-time-of-the-day-to-nap/#:~:text=To%20do%20it%20right%2C%20don,will%20naturally%20start%20to%20dip. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.

[6] Smith, Suzannah. LONGER NAPS MAY AWAKEN THESE FOUR HEALTH ISSUES. Vital Record, Texas A&M, 23 June 2016, vitalrecord.tamhsc.edu/long-naps-cause-health-issues/. Accessed 23 Jan. 2021.