The Science of Naps: Do Daily Naps Add Up to Seven Hours of Sleep?

Naps—a period of light or brief sleep during the day—can be a wonderful way to boost your energy and mental health, especially if you have sleep deprivation. This article will explore the benefits, drawbacks, and guidelines for effective napping, helping you understand the potential impact of daily naps on your overall sleep.

Types of Naps

Sleep experts have defined several different kinds of naps, each serving a specific function:

1. Recovery Nap: Making up for sleep lost the night before to combat the effects of sleep deprivation.

2. Prophylactic Nap: Taken in anticipation of lost sleep, such as with shift work or travel, to prevent the effects of sleep deprivation.

3. Essential Nap: A physical requirement when yoursquo;re sick or injured, to give your body the energy to fight off pathogens and allow you to heal.

4. Appetitive Nap: Taken for enjoyment rather than fatigue or physical need.

5. Fulfillment Nap: In children, taken due to higher sleep needs during development.

Mid-Afternoon Drowsiness

The strongest desire for daytime sleep in adults typically occurs in the mid-afternoon, usually between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. This period of drowsiness may be due to the natural rise of a brain chemical called adenosine, which makes you feel sleepy and reaches its lowest point in the morning.

Benefits of Napping

Naps offer a lot of potential health and performance benefits beyond recovering from a poor night’s sleep. According to research, they may:

Lower the risk of cardiovascular disease: Naps can help regulate blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease. Improve memory: Naps can improve both short-term and long-term memory, including perceptual learning and symbol recognition. Speed up reaction time and enhance logical reasoning skills: Naps have been shown to improve cognitive functions, making you less impulsive and more focused. Regulate emotions and reduce frustration: Naps can help manage emotions and prevent unnecessary irritability. Boost learning ability: An afternoon nap may even boost learning ability by about the same amount as a cup of coffee.

Disadvantages of Napping

Naps also have some potential disadvantages. The biggest ones are related to sleep:

Disrupting nighttime sleep: If a nap is too long or too late in the day, you may not be able to get to sleep or stay asleep that night. This can become a self-perpetuating cycle. Leaving you groggy: Long naps can cause a deeper phase of sleep, leaving you feeling foggy-brained and potentially just as tired as before.

Additionally, studies have found that naps are associated with numerous medical conditions and poor health measures, such as:

High blood pressure Vascular disease Sleep disorders, especially obstructive sleep apnea Depression Appetite abnormalities Inflammation Osteoarthritis Stroke risk Type 2 diabetes Worse cognitive dysfunction in people with dementia Chronic illness and disability in general

The Nap Paradox

Given the many positive and negative associations with naps, itrsquo;s hard to say whether theyrsquo;re good or bad for you overall. Researchers are working on clarifying this paradox and have several theories about why research appears to be so divided:

Existing studies may not be looking for negative effects or may not be large enough to detect them. They often donrsquo;t distinguish between chronic napping (frequent over many months or years) and occasional napping, and the benefits and risks may be different. Characteristics not related to sleep, such as age, could impact the influence of a nap. Itrsquo;s possible that naps are not harmful at all, and certain health conditions or aging can make you more tired or disrupt your nighttime sleep, increasing your need for naps.

While some experts consider the last explanation to be the most likely, they say itrsquo;s too early to make that assumption. Therefore, itrsquo;s premature to recommend that everyone take naps.

Tips for a Good Nap

If yoursquo;re going to nap, here are some tips to get the most possible benefit:

Time it right: Experts recommend napping between about 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. for someone on a typical schedule. Later naps are more likely to impair nighttime sleep. Keep it short: Naps of 30 to 45 minutes can generally give you the boost you need without leaving you groggy or interfering with your nighttime sleep. Get comfy: Try to nap in a comfortable, quiet place so you can maximize the benefits.

Napping With Sleep Disorders

If you have untreated sleep disorders like sleep apnea and narcolepsy, you may need more naps. Proper treatment can help manage these conditions and reduce your need for daily naps.

Frequently Asked Questions

When do kids stop napping? Most young children stop napping between age 3 to 5, although it may come earlier or later for some kids. Infants and toddlers need significantly more sleep than adults, and scheduling naptimes into your childrsquo;s day can help them meet that requirement.

What is a power nap? A short, energizing nap typically lasting 20 minutes that helps clear the mind and boost alertness and performance.

A Word From Verywell: Itrsquo;s normal to need a nap now and then, even if yoursquo;re relatively young and healthy. However, if you find yourself needing naps more and more, you may need to examine your sleep hygiene and schedule to see if you can spend more time in bed or improve your quality of sleep. Being tired during the day when yoursquo;ve had plenty of sleep could also indicate a medical problem that needs to be treated. Be sure to talk to your healthcare provider about your daytime sleepiness and how itrsquo;s affecting your life.