To Nap or Not to Nap: A Double-Edged Sword to Your Body

By Chow Chun Yu and Tan Meng Xiang, Danial

Napping is a common behaviour in all humans when they want a quick boost of energy or improved alertness during the day. Recent research has shown that naps can offer a range of benefits, from enhancing physical and mental performance to improving mood, especially when sleep is limited at night. However, there is a right and wrong way of napping. Taking long naps can lead to grogginess and disrupt your sleep schedules, while shorter naps can provide you with a quick refresh without these downsides.

For athletes, naps could be an opportunity for them to obtain their recommended sleep duration in the midst of stressors. However, it is key for them to understand how to properly take naps to not potentially harm their athletic performance.

Positive effects of napping

Outside of supplementing our sleep, here are some additional positive effects that napping can bring to us.

• Improved cognitive performance: Napping enhances reaction time, attention and mental rotation tasks.

• Boosts mood and psychological state: Positively impacts tension, depression, vigor and overall mood.

• Enhances alertness: Napping can increase alertness levels right after short naps.

What happens when we nap for too long?

Have you wondered if there was anything such as too long of a nap? Well, there are actually downsides when you decide to take that long nap. (Lastella et al., 2021)

• Sleep inertia: Sleep inertia is characterized by grogginess and impaired alertness immediately upon waking up.

• Disrupting night-time sleep: Sleeping too much in the day may interfere with falling asleep or staying asleep at night, leading to poorer overall sleep quality.

• Messing up your sleep schedule: Napping for too long disrupts your regular sleep-wake cycle, potentially causing irregular sleep patterns.

Key points for athletes

According to Lastella et al., there exist specific factors and circumstances which determine whether or not naps aid or ruin your athletic performance.

1. Although naps improved physical performance for all athletes, naps are more likely to bring greater benefits to sleep-restricted athletes compared to the well-rested. On the contrary, napping may harm your sleep quality and cycle if you do it too much unnecessarily.

2. Naps have the ability to mitigate the athlete’s perceived exertion and fatigue on their bodies. Allowing them to feel better about their bodies.

3. Naps can have a variety of impacts on an athlete’s night-time sleep. It is important for the athlete to be more wary of their own body and sleep hygiene and adjust their naps accordingly.

How long is too long?

According to the study, we should aim to nap for about 20 to 90 minutes. However, it is important to note that naps that are more than 45 minutes could potentially lead to sleep inertia and negative sleep quality overall. The study also shows that optimal timings to take a nap is ideally between 1pm and 4pm, and to wait 30 minutes before doing any activities to minimize sleep inertia.

Action Plan

Here are some steps you can consider when planning your day or when deciding to nap:

• Understand your sleep schedule and hygiene better. Determine if napping is more beneficial or harmful for you. Are you sleep-restricted or well-rested?

• Determine if your sleep hygiene needs to be improved before implementing naps to supplement your sleep. Focus on the more beneficial change for you.

• If you have decided to engage in naps. Adjust your sleep schedule and commitments to accommodate time for naps between 1pm to 4pm. Test various different nap lengths and see which length brings you the most benefits.

  • Benefits include: Improved reaction time and attention, heightened alertness, more positive moods, better perception of fatigue and exertion.

Reference

Lastella, M., Halson, S. L., Vitale, J. A., Memon, A. R., & Vincent, G. E. (2021). To nap or not to nap? A systematic review evaluating napping behavior in athletes and the impact on various measures of athletic performance. Nature and Science of Sleep, 13, 841–862. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S315556

About the Contributor: Chow Chun Yu

Chun Yu is a graduate from Nanyang Technological University, where he pursued a degree in Psychology. He is especially drawn to industrial-organisational and behavioural psychology as he is interested in how people think, feel, and work, particularly in creating better workplaces through HR practices, employee engagement, and a strong organisational culture. He has had the chance to explore these areas during research internships at MINDEF, where he looked into ways to measure motivation, engagement, and workplace safety using both traditional and novel methods. Beyond research, he has also taught in a special needs school and served as a section commander in the military. These experiences have shaped his desire to work in roles that make a meaningful difference in how people experience their work.

About the Contributor: Tan Meng Xiang, Danial

Danial is a Psychology major at the Singapore Management University’s School of Social Sciences. Passionate about Biopsychology, Medicine and Clinical Interventions, he contributes to research projects at the A*STAR Institute of Human Development and Potential (IHDP), including the Growing Up in Singapore Towards healthy Outcomes (GUSTO) study. His academic and research pursuits are driven by a deep interest in understanding the biological underpinnings of human behavior and developing evidence-based approaches to mental health care.

Disclaimer

The summaries and discussions presented here are based on published research in the field of sport, exercise, and performance psychology. They are intended for informational purposes only and should not be considered as professional advice, diagnosis, or prescribed treatment.

Always seek the advice of your doctor, mental health professional, or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or mental health concerns. This includes inquiries about changes to your existing routine or the implementation of any strategies mentioned that might have significant implications on your health.

Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read here.