Is napping during the day beneficial for adults?

From the Guidelines

Napping during the day can be beneficial for adults when done properly, with short naps of limited duration to avoid interfering with nighttime sleep quality. According to the clinical practice guideline and expert consensus recommendations 1, daytime naps can help replenish energy, but these should be limited so they do not interfere with nighttime sleep quality.

Key Considerations

• Naps should be limited in duration to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep
• The environment should be conducive to sleep, such as dark, quiet, and comfortable, to promote positive sleep hygiene
• Stress-reducing activities before bed, such as reading, journaling, yoga, meditation, or listening to quiet music, can help improve sleep quality

Recommendations for Napping

• Nap before 3 PM to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep
• Keep naps under 30 minutes unless you have time for a full 90-minute sleep cycle
• Avoid napping if you have insomnia or other sleep problems, as it may exacerbate the issue
• If you regularly feel the need for long naps despite adequate nighttime sleep, consider consulting a healthcare provider as this could signal an underlying health issue

Benefits of Napping

• Improves alertness, mood, and cognitive performance
• Reduces sleep pressure temporarily, allowing the brain to restore alertness and cognitive function
• Can be a valuable tool for maintaining energy and productivity throughout the day for most healthy adults, when done properly 1.

From the Research

Benefits of Napping

• Napping can restore wakefulness and promote performance and learning in adults 2
• A short nap of less than 30 minutes can improve performance and learning ability 2
• Napping can be beneficial for adults who are sleep-deprived or have a sleep disorder 2

Risks of Napping

• Frequent and longer naps may lead to adverse long-term health effects, such as increased risk of all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disease 3
• Napping for more than 30 minutes can lead to sleep inertia and decreased productivity 2
• Frequent napping and late naps may be associated with increased sleep fragmentation and poorer sleep quality 4

Guidelines for Healthy Napping

• Naps should be kept short, ideally less than 30 minutes, to avoid sleep inertia and decreased productivity 2, 3
• Napping should be done early in the day to avoid disrupting nighttime sleep 4
• Adults should be mindful of their napping habits and avoid frequent and long naps, especially if they are already getting enough nighttime sleep 4, 3

Pharmacological Interventions for Sleepiness

• Melatonin may be effective in improving sleep length and quality in shift workers, but the evidence is low quality 5
• Modafinil and armodafinil may be effective in reducing sleepiness and improving alertness in shift workers, but they are associated with adverse events 5, 6
• Caffeine plus naps may be effective in reducing sleepiness during the night shift, but the evidence is low quality 5