Think napping is just for toddlers? Think again.
I have always been a big fan of the mid-day powernap. Now it seems like science supports this habit. One study recently found a modest causal association between habitual daytime napping and larger total brain volume. Next time someone thinks you lazy for taking a mid-day power nap inform them you are busy growing a larger brain.
Another study reviewed the literature on napping and athletic performance. After reviewing 37 studies the researchers concluded that napping may be beneficial for a range of outcomes that benefit athletes (eg, physical and cognitive performance, perceptual measures, psychological state and night-time sleep). In addition, napping presents athletes with the opportunity to supplement their night-time sleep without compromising sleep quality.
Naps also seem to improve cognitive functioning. The benefits of brief (5-15 min) naps are almost immediate after the nap and last a limited period (1-3h). Longer naps (> 30 min) can produce impairment from sleep inertia for a short period after waking but then produce improved cognitive performance for a longer period (up to many hours). Other factors that affect the benefits from the nap are the timing of the nap with early afternoon being the most favorable time. Those who regularly nap seem to show greater benefits than those who rarely nap.
Enjoy those power naps everyone!
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Citations:
Is there an association between daytime napping, cognitive function, and brain volume? Sleep Health. 2023 Jun 12
To Nap or Not to Nap? A Systematic Review Evaluating Napping Behavior in Athletes and the Impact on Various Measures of Athletic Performance. Nat Sci Sleep. 2021 Jun 24
Lovato N, Lack L. The effects of napping on cognitive functioning. Prog Brain Res. 2010;185:155-66. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-444-53702-7.00009-9. PMID: 21075238.