In Defense of Napping: The Restorative Benefits Of A Short Snooze

Anyone who's ever felt an afternoon slump—a wave of fatigue, maybe after lunch, that leaves you wondering when it's time for bed—has craved a quick cat nap. The last time you felt tempted to take a midday snooze, did you do it? Or did you convince yourself that staying awake would be the more productive way to spend your time?

Naps can be rejuvenating, especially when you're experiencing an afternoon slump, according to Wendy Troxel, Ph.D., psychologist and sleep specialist.

There's a reason for that slump. According to Troxel, our natural circadian rhythms, which control when we feel most awake, experience a dip around 2 to 4 p.m. "It's the time when most people start to feel sleepy," she says.

Taking a short nap around then can boost cognitive function1 and help you feel more energized throughout the rest of the day. Naps can also restore alertness and help you weather feelings of tiredness as the day goes on, according to Janet Kennedy, Ph.D., clinical psychologist and founder of NYC Sleep Doctor.

Studies of the effects of napping on athletes have shown that naps improved their physical performances, reaction times, attention, and short-term memory2. Longer naps of around 90 minutes were found to be especially helpful to some athletes3. (However, sleep researchers warn that long naps can have some potential negative effects on your overall sleep health.)

"A short nap can really do a lot for a person's attention, focus, alertness, and even learning and memory," Kennedy says.

Hence why Ellen Vora, M.D., holistic psychiatrist, said in an Instagram video recently that she believes naps should be destigmatized.

Benefits aside, naps aren't for everyone. People who suffer from chronic insomnia or other sleep disorders probably shouldn't nap, according to Troxel.

That's because people who have difficulty falling asleep and experiencing quality sleep need to maximize their "sleep drive," which is sort of like a hunger drive, that tells us when it's time to sleep.

Some people also might find napping less helpful than others. Troxel has found that napping isn't always the best strategy for some people to get a midday boost.

If you're not a napper, Troxel suggests using other strategies such as exercising, exposing yourself to natural light, engaging in social interactions, or getting a treat, such as a decaf coffee (emphasis on decaf) to increase your energy during an afternoon slump.