Have you ever found yourself fantasizing about the way some European countries shut down for naps in the afternoons? Us too, usually around 2PM but unfortunately it is usually frowned upon to curl up under your desk like a house cat. However, is taking naps actually good for you? It is a practice many of us leave behind in childhood, but according to The Sleep Foundation, there can be quite a few benefits to napping for adults. But before we get into those, let us back up and define what exactly we mean when we talk about naps. Basically, “a nap is a short period of sleep that usually occurs during the day.” Simple enough, right? Anyone who has a child or was once a child understands the basic concept. But what you might not know is that napping can come with a plethora of benefits:

1.      Counteract daytime drowsiness. This is perhaps the most obvious benefit of a nap. If you did not sleep enough the night before, a nap can help you play catch up so you can make it through the rest of your day. “Naps can be particularly beneficial for shift workers who struggle to get enough sleep and have to be alert at irregular times.”

2.      Boost workplace performance. “A nap can improve cognitive functions such as memory, logical reasoning, and the ability to complete complex tasks,” and if your brain is working better then it stands to reason that your performance would improve as well.

3.      Improvement in physical performance. This is another fairly logical outcome to napping—if you are exhausted, your response time is going to be slower than if your brain is not running on a sleep deficit. “Athletes may experience improved endurance, reaction times, and cognitive performance if they take a daytime nap.”

4.      Stress reliever. The less you sleep, the more strain your system is under because your body and mind have not had adequate time to recharge for the day. As such, naps can help relieve some of that stress (plus, you get a blissful break in the form of complete rest). Additionally, “a small trial found evidence that naps relieved stress and supported the immune system in people whose sleep was limited the night before.”

5.      Lower risk of health problems. The Sleep Foundation asserts that napping might be associated with additional health benefits. “One observational study found that napping one or two times a week was associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular problems, such as heart attack, stroke, or heart disease. However, more research is needed to understand the complex ways that the frequency and duration of naps affect heart health.” Additionally, “a study of people diagnosed with intracranial aneurysms found that regularly napping was associated with a lowered risk of a rupture of the aneurysm.” Will napping cure and prevent any health problems from ever occurring? No, but preliminary research has begun to indicate a connection to improved health outcomes, so only time and additional research will tell!

By now we have surely convinced you of the benefits of napping, but how can you be sure you are getting the best nap possible? Here are a few tips to follow to maximize your nap time:

•   Keep it short. According to The Sleep Foundation, “the best nap length for adults is about 20 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes. Sleeping for 20 minutes allows the napper to get a bit of light sleep to boost alertness without entering into deep sleep. Waking up from deep sleep can cause grogginess and actually worsen sleepiness.” We have all had intense naps at one time or another when we slept longer than intended and somehow still woke up exhausted; it turns out we just slept too long and we should have set an alarm.

•   Maybe let yourself nap a bit longer. This sounds completely contradictory to the previous bullet point, but in some cases, “a longer nap of around an hour and a half may also be beneficial. This length of time allows the body to cycle through the stages of sleep and avoids interrupting deep sleep. This type of longer nap may be especially helpful for emergency workers and shift workers who are trying to avoid fatigue.” Is this length of time always feasible? No, of course not, but only you and your doctor know what your needs are so it is good to have the information so you can make an informed decision about which nap length is best for you and your life.

•   Early afternoon is best. Napping too late, such as after 3PM, can lead to disruptions in your nighttime sleep and sleeping at night can be hard enough without creating additional problems. Therefore, it is best to stick to the early afternoon for naps. “For some people, naps may feel natural or even necessary after lunchtime. This is sometimes known as the post-lunch dip. While eating lunch may play a role in afternoon sleepiness, the post-lunch dip is linked to circadian rhythm. Circadian rhythm is the body’s internal clock that follows a 24-hour cycle. Within this cycle are two peak periods for sleepiness. The greatest peak is during the night, and the second one falls in the early afternoon.”

•   Cool, quiet, dark. Ideally, you want to nap in a place that fits these three tenants. If you work from home, it is very easy to add a nap to your day as you can dip into the bedroom for a bit. If your bedroom tends to be fairly bright, blackout curtains and a white noise machine can help you set the scene. If napping at the office is an option for you, earplugs and and eye mask can help you get the isolation you need. Of course, this is best done in an office with a door that closes—a cubicle could get awkward quite quickly. However, "some offices have nap pods or other quiet areas for relaxation or a short period of restorative sleep.” Of course, napping at work is not always a viable option but it might be worth looking into if it is something that would not get you in trouble with HR.

•   Set an alarm. Whether you are opting for a quick 20-30 minute nap or a longer hour and a half, it is very important to set an alarm so you do not overdo it—and whatever you do, do not hit snooze! Get up with the alarm and get your body moving with a stretch and short walk around to get your body and brain moving again.

•   Consider caffeine naps. Drinking caffeine before a nap? It sounds counterintuitive, but it could actually help you. “The brain and body feel the impact of caffeine about 30 minutes after it is consumed, so having caffeine right before a short nap may increase alertness after waking up.”[1] What better way to boost yourself up than to have a Verve on hand to power up your post-nap production?

Ultimately, it is up to you to decide if taking a nap during the day is right for you and your schedule. Some people may find it is easy and beneficial to include it daily, and others might just opt for it on an as-needed basis. Sleep is incredibly important to one’s overall health and wellness, and naps can be another tool in your arsenal to help you achieve your goals, both health-related and otherwise.

[1] Summer, Jay. “Napping: Benefits and Tips.” Sleep Foundation, Sleep Foundation, 23 Feb. 2023, https://www.sleepfoundation.org/sleep-hygiene/napping.