Are naps good for you?

Do you look forward to your midday siesta every day? Or perhaps you couldn’t bear the thought of breaking up your busy schedule with a nap. 

When it comes to napping, there’s no right or wrong answer. Whether napping is “good for you” will come down to the preferences of each person - just like the time you go to sleep, when you wake up each morning, and the number of hours you sleep every night.

Is napping good for you?

Some people love a 20-minute snooze because they wake up feeling refreshed. Others find a nap disorienting, making them feel more tired and groggy. Napping completely depends on the person. That being said, there are certain things you can do to make sure you get the most out of your nap (and don’t wake up groggy). 

The benefits of napping

For many people, particularly in certain cultures, a nap is a part of everyday life. This is because, if you’re a healthy adult, napping can provide benefits that improve your day-to-day

For example, it can help you catch up on sleep if you’ve had a late night or prepare you for a late one ahead. Ensuring you’re well-rested can help you improve productivity, mental health and alertness. 

Other benefits of napping include:

  • Improved mood

  • Decreased sleep deprivation

  • Increased alertness

  • Increased energy

  • Decreased stress

  • Improved memory

Potential negative effects

In contrast, napping can have some negative effects. Napping can turn into a dangerous cycle of making up for a lack of a good night’s sleep during the day, and then not being able to fall asleep the following night because you’ve napped during the day. 

People who don’t like to nap will often complain of feeling groggy, disoriented, or waking up feeling more tired than before they fell asleep. This is due to ‘sleep inertia’, which occurs when you wake up during a deep-sleep stage. Usually lasting 15 to 60 minutes, a part of your body is still asleep, meaning you’re functioning at a reduced capacity. 

This can impact your ability to perform simple activities, which can make it quite dangerous. This feeling of ‘sleep drunkness’ can reduce memory ability, cause drowsy driving, increase accidents, decrease productivity and cause impairment of good judgement and decision-making. 

Taking too long a nap can cause you problems in falling asleep at night, or a decrease in nighttime sleep quality. Therefore, It’s important to pay attention to the recommended napping time and optimal time of the day to nap, to reduce any negative outcomes. 

How long should I nap?

Research suggests that the 10-20 minute “power nap” is the optimal length. This is because it allows you to rest without entering a stage of deep sleep. Waking up during deep sleep (around 45 minutes in) can counteract the benefits of a nap, causing you to wake up with sleep inertia, and making you feel worse. 

If 20 minutes just isn’t long enough, you can push it out to around 60 to 90 minutes. This means you’re more likely to have passed the deep sleep stage and wake up in a lighter stage. 

If you’re someone who doesn’t like napping because it makes you feel more tired, but for once can’t resist a mid-day siesta, then a short nap is best for you. Aim for no more than 20 minutes, so you don’t even risk falling into a deep stage.

If napping isn’t for you at all, that’s completely normal. If you find it does you more harm than good, then ditch the nap and save that extra time for a restful night’s sleep instead. 

When should I nap?

The time of the day you decide to nap also plays an important role in optimising your rest. Aim to take your nap before or after lunch, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. 

Napping from late afternoon to evening is not a great idea. This is because the closer it gets to your bedtime, the more likely you’ll decrease the quality of your sleep, as well as your ability to fall asleep. 

However, with this being said, the optimal nap time heavily depends on you when you wake up and what your work schedule looks like. Whether you’re a night shift nurse, a late-night bartender or a baker on a 3 a.m. start, the best nap time for you depends on when you sleep. Generally, it will be 12 hours following your deepest stage of nighttime sleep. 

You can’t stop napping?

If you’re finding that you can’t get through the day without a nap, this might be a sign of sleep deprivation or an underlying condition. 

Sleep deprivation is a symptom of many sleep disorders such as insomnia, sleep apnea and restless leg syndrome, or simply poor sleep hygiene. If it’s not sleep-related, you might be experiencing chronic fatigue. Chronic fatigue can be caused by a number of underlying conditions. If the need to nap is affecting your everyday life, you should consult a doctor for advice, and to make sure it's not something more serious.

On a less serious note, if you’re finding that you can’t function without a nap post-lunch every day, it could mean you’re going too carb-heavy on the food. Instead, opt for an unprocessed meal, higher in vegetables and lean proteins. 

Key takeaways

Napping is good for you, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your responsibilities and the quality of your nighttime sleep. A nap can benefit your day-to-day productivity and energy levels if done right, particularly with the recommended “power nap” time of 20 minutes. 

This being said, napping isn’t for everyone and might cause you to feel worse. Whether you chose to nap or not, is completely up to you and what makes you feel good.

IF YOU’RE EXPERIENCING PERSISTENT DISRUPTIONS TO YOUR SLEEP, CONSULT WITH A PHARMACIST OR TRUSTED MEDICAL PROFESSIONAL TO DISCUSS POSSIBLE SOLUTIONS.

Any advice provided in this content is of a general nature and does not take into account your objectives, health or needs. The information in this post is not intended to substitute medical advice, diagnosis or treatment and should not be exclusively relied on to diagnose or manage a medical condition. You need to consider the appropriateness of any information or general advice we give you, having regard to your personal situation, before acting on our advice or purchasing any over-the-counter sleep product.

Peter Shakespeare