The Benefits of Napping

Naps have historically gotten a bad rap. While some experts may warn against giving in to your urge to catch some zzzs during the day, you’re likely to see just as many speaking up about the benefits of napping. For those on the fence, Daniel Glazer, a clinical psychologist and co-founder of US Therapy Rooms, tells Sleepopolis, “Napping can positively impact our overall well-being — both mentally and physically.” He adds, “A strategic midday snooze isn’t just a luxury; it’s a form of rejuvenating self-care that more people could likely benefit from working into their routines.” 

Note: The content on Sleepopolis is meant to be informative in nature, but it shouldn’t be taken as medical advice, and it shouldn’t take the place of medical advice and supervision from a trained professional. If you feel you may be suffering from any sleep disorder or medical condition, please see your healthcare provider immediately. 

Long Story Short

• Naps are often viewed as an indulgence, but research shows they can be benefit your physical and mental well-being.
• To reap the benefit of napping, be sure to time them properly and keep them brief.
• It’s ok to nap every day, but if you need more sleep than than the recommended time for your age group, it may be a sign of an underlying health issue.

The Benefits of Napping

Reduces Sleepiness 

The first and most obvious benefit of napping is that a well-timed nap can reduce daytime sleepiness after a sleepless night or two. One small study showed that naps boosted the mood of nappers and alleviated their sleepiness for up to 240 minutes post-nap.  (1) And while it’s okay to take occasional naps, nappers are cautioned to make sure that their total sleep time is within the recommended range for their age (typically, adults should shoot for 7 to 9 hours of sleep each night). However, if you feel compelled to nap and your total sleep time is consistently above the norm, that could indicate an underlying health problem. 

The TLDR: Take a nap if you need to; just keep an eye on your sleep health. 

Reboots Cognitive Function That Results From Sleep Deprivation

Glazer says, “One of the most profound benefits of napping is their ability to reduce the detrimental impacts of sleep deprivation.” He adds, “When we’re running on fumes from excessive fatigue, a 20-30-minute power nap can provide a recharge to clear away that foggy mental haze and restore our depleted energy reserves. It’s like we’re hitting the reset button on our cognitive functions.” (2)

Improves Mood

According to key findings in a 2020 study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 14.5 percent of adults had trouble falling asleep most days, 17.8 percent had trouble staying asleep most days, and women had more trouble than men in both categories. (3) All of this to say — many of us aren’t getting enough sleep. In turn, insufficient sleep and poor sleep quality can touch off a host of mental health issues, including irritability, mental cloudiness, and upticks in symptoms of anxiety and depression. (4)

For those looking to combat the emotional fallout from not getting enough sleep, Glazer says, “Napping can offer a powerful boost to our daily mood and emotional equilibrium.” (5) He adds, “When exhaustion exacerbates feelings of irritability, anxiety, and stress, sneaking in a restorative nap is a great way to help recalibrate those delicate balances, decreasing destabilizing cortisol while increasing feelings of relaxation and well-being.” 

If you’re wondering how long it takes to put a smile on your face, 30 minutes seems to be the sweet spot. (5) Although, another small study from 2021 showed that a 20-minute nap could also do the trick. (6) Of course, everyone’s needs may vary slightly, so don’t be afraid to experiment with a similar napping time frame.

Enhances Alertness

According to NASA, napping is the best countermeasure to fatigue, and research corroborates this. A 20-minute(ish) power nap can powerfully boost alertness and motor skills. For those who like concrete numbers, taking a “NASA nap” (aka a 26-minute power nap) has been shown to enhance alertness by 54 percent. (7)

Reduces Stress

Sleep also plays a vital role in managing your body’s stress responses.  While poor sleep has been linked to spikes in stress hormones, like cortisol, napping may help lower cortisol levels and reduce the overall impact of stress on the body. (8) Moreover, a small 2022 study showed that napping can modulate negative moods that accompany stressors. (4)

Increases Work Performance

Prominent historical figures like Winston Churchill, JFK, Albert Einstein, and Leonardo da Vinci were all said to be huge proponents of some afternoon shut-eye.In more recent years, companies like Google, Ben & Jerry’s, and Zappos have all added dedicated napping spaces to their facilities — we wonder if they’ve read the research indicating that the time spent catching some sleep is easily gained back in the immediate boosts in productivity that follow! (9)

Improves Concentration 

Researchers at Harvard University have found that sleep reinvigorates neural circuits involved in concentration. (10) This means that a strategically timed nap can boost the memory of newly acquired skills and improve focus on the next task at hand.

Helps with Memory Consolidation 

Speaking of memory, Glazer says, “Napping doesn’t just give your brain a quick boost. It also helps with long-term memory and learning. (11) The sleep stages you hit during a nap are key for cementing all that new information you picked up into lasting pathways in your brain. So, instead of forgetting most of the stuff you read or learned, a little afternoon siesta helps your brain absorb and integrate it for better recall later. Whether it’s studying for an exam or trying to learn new skills at work, a quick nap provides the perfect chance to turn recent lessons into lasting knowledge.” 

May Help Prevent Migraines

The American Migraine Foundation estimates that 37 million people are impacted by migraines in the U.S. alone. Migraines are three times more common in women than men, and those dealing with these gnarly headaches are likely to have multiple attacks each month. (12) 

While researchers haven’t nailed down the exact cause of migraines, studies have identified common triggers — and you guessed it, poor sleep is one of them. Prescription and over-the-counter medications are the most popular treatments for migraines, but preliminary studies have also shown that naps may be a sound behavioral strategy for migraine relief. (13) (14)

Lowers Blood Pressure

According to Glazer, napping can boost “cardiovascular health by stabilizing blood pressure levels.” There’s research that shows as much, too, like one study with 212 participants that showed daytime naps lowered blood pressure to levels comparable to those of healthy lifestyle changes and even some medications. (15)

A Natural Energy Boost Without The Jitters

If you’re one of the many who need a cup of coffee to get through the 3 p.m. slump, a power nap could give you a more natural energy boost — without the jitters. Keep in mind, too, that caffeine has a half-life of five hours, so your afternoon espresso ritual is more likely to disturb your ability to sleep than you realize come nighttime. (16) 

Tips for Napping Successfully

Naps can be a powerful ally to your physical and mental health, but doing them right is key. Above all else, you need to mind the timing and the length. Here are a few tips to help you level up your naps. 

Keep It Brief

The ideal nap length is 30 minutes or less. If you wake up groggy after your nap, you may have slept too long. 

Watch the Clock

Opt for naps earlier in the day rather than later. The best time for an afternoon snooze is around 1 to 2 p.m., when our circadian rhythm causes a dip in alertness — anything later, and you might interfere with nighttime sleep. 

Check Your Sleep Space

Whether you’re snoozing during the day or settling in for the night, the same rules apply — keep it dark, keep it quiet, and keep it cool. If you’re napping around the office, be sure to eliminate distractions as much as possible, turn off screens, and silence your notifications. 

FAQs

The Last Word From Sleepopolis 

While napping may often be dismissed as an unnecessary indulgence, the practice offers a host of benefits to physical and mental health. If you choose to add naps to your self-care routine, just be sure to keep them brief and don’t snooze too late in the day.  

Sources

1. Ruth L F Leong, TeYang Lau, Andrew R Dicom, Teck Boon Teo, Ju Lynn Ong, Michael W L Chee, Influence of mid-afternoon nap duration and sleep parameters on memory encoding, mood, processing speed, and vigilance, Sleep, Volume 46, Issue 4, April 2023, zsad025, https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/zsad025
2. Stepan ME, Altmann EM, Fenn KM. Slow-wave sleep during a brief nap is related to reduced cognitive deficits during sleep deprivation. Sleep. 2021;44(11):zsab152. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsab152
3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2022b, June 22). Products – data briefs – number 436 – June 2022. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/databriefs/db436.htm 
4. Wofford N, Ceballos N, Elkins G, Westerberg CE. A brief nap during an acute stressor improves negative affect. J Sleep Res. 2022;31(6):e13701. doi:10.1111/jsr.13701
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6. Romdhani M, Dergaa I, Moussa-Chamari I, et al. The effect of post-lunch napping on mood, reaction time, and antioxidant defense during repeated sprint exercice. Biol Sport. 2021;38(4):629-638. doi:10.5114/biolsport.2021.103569
7. The benefits of napping for safety & how quickly can … (n.d.-b). https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20190033981/downloads/20190033981.pdf 
8. Boukhris, O., Trabelsi, K., Suppiah, H. et al. The Impact of Daytime Napping Following Normal Night-Time Sleep on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression. Sports Med 54, 323–345 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-023-01920-2
9. Dutheil F, Danini B, Bagheri R, et al. Effects of a Short Daytime Nap on the Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2021;18(19):10212. Published 2021 Sep 28. doi:10.3390/ijerph181910212
10. Howard E. LeWine, M. (2020, June 15). Too little sleep, and too much, affect memory. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/little-sleep-much-affect-memory-201405027136 
11. Cousins JN, Wong KF, Raghunath BL, Look C, Chee MWL. The long-term memory benefits of a daytime nap compared with cramming. Sleep. 2019;42(1):zsy207. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsy207
12. Facts about migraine. (n.d.-a). https://americanmigrainefoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/Facts-About-Migraine-AMF.pdf 
13. Corliss, J. (2024, February 5). Which migraine medications are most helpful?. Harvard Health. https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/which-migraine-medications-are-most-helpful-202402053014 
14. Vgontzas A, Mostofsky E, Hagan K, Rueschman M, Mittleman MA, Bertisch SM. Napping behavior in adults with episodic migraine: a six-week prospective cohort study. Sleep. 2022;45(3):zsab273. doi:10.1093/sleep/zsab273
15. ScienceDaily. (2019, March 7). A nap a day keeps high blood pressure at bay. ScienceDaily. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/03/190307081029.htm 
16. Evans J, Richards JR, Battisti AS. Caffeine. [Updated 2023 Jun 8]. In: StatPearls [Internet]. Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519490/

Darley, Catherine. Author Interview. May 31, 2024.

Glazer. Daniel. Author Interview. June 3, 2024.