Should you nap?

To nap or not to nap, that is the question

Sometimes it feels like the world is split into two camps: those who nap and those who don’t. Napping is a controversial topic, and everyone has their opinion, but the science is still divided on whether napping is actually good for your health and sleep hygiene.

We’re going to take a closer look at the topic of napping, exploring the pros and cons to help you make an informed decision on whether catching 40 winks during the day is a good idea or not.

What are the benefits of napping?

Improve your memory

Sleep serves to strengthen connections between brain cells, helping us to cement events and new information in our memory. If you struggle to get enough sleep at night, it may be wise to consider taking a daytime power nap to support new skill learning.

Boost mental awareness

By strengthening synapses and improving nervous system function, napping can help to speed up your response time and ultimately boost your mental alertness.

Support your immune system

Research has found that getting enough sleep can improve the function of the T-Cells in your body. These cells play a crucial role in immune system function, seeking out and breaking down infections before they have a chance to grow.

Increased energy levels

It’s no secret that sleep and energy are closely linked. Sleep helps us regulate our blood sugar, which has a direct impact on how energised you feel during the day. If you struggle to get enough sleep during the night, napping can give your body a chance to repair cells, grow and improve your stamina.

Reduce anxiety and depression

Sleeplessness can make you more prone to mental health struggles like anxiety and depression, which in turn can make sleep even harder. This is a vicious cycle that can be hard to escape.

Without enough sleep, your amygdala becomes overly responsive. And the increased activity can cause blood pressure and heart rate to increase. Elevated stimulation like this typically results in heightened anxiety and even panic attacks.

Napping can be a valuable tool in breaking up this cycle by topping up rest time and calming activity in the amygdala.

What are the disadvantages of napping?

Despite these potential benefits, there can be downsides to sleeping during the day. Too much napping can make it more difficult to sleep at night and increase feelings of lethargy. The negative impacts of napping are most prevalent in those with insomnia, or those who struggle to sleep through the night.

A study by the European Society of Cardiology found that regularly napping for over 60 minutes can increase the likelihood of diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases.

When napping, it’s important to consider the sleep cycle, as waking up in different stages can have varying effects. A 20-minute nap will give enough time for the brain to cycle through stage 2 sleep – improving alertness. On the flip side, a 45-90 minute nap can cause you to cycle into stage 3 of sleep – a deeper, phase that will leave you feeling groggy and disorientated when the alarm goes off.

So should you nap?

In an ideal world, nobody would need to nap. Following a clear sleep schedule and getting the recommended seven to nine hours of quality sleep a night should mean there is no need for you to sleep during the day. But if you are suffering from sleep deprivation, catching up on rest during the day can be preferable than simply powering through for many people.

Napping can have a restorative impact on your body, but only when done correctly. Don’t nap between 45-90 minutes, or you may end up doing more harm than good to your health, but a quick power nap can help to support your brain function and boost your energy levels.

The best sleep happens on a high quality mattress, so check out the Perks range now. You can also explore the rest of our blog for more sleep news and tips.