Cultures all over the world have embraced naps for generations. Famously in Spain and the Mediterranean with the tradition of siesta or the “sixth hour nap”. Also known as riposo (rest) in Italy, this is usually a break taken between 2pm and 5pm during the hottest part of the day, dedicated to quiet leisure and napping. This tradition is taken so seriously in some communities that business comes to a standstill between these hours. On the opposite side of this tradition is the Scandinavian winter nap, encouraging children to take a nap – often outside during the coldest part of the year in order to acclimate to the harsh weather. More recently cultures have adopted these napping traditions such as the Japanese inemuri (sleeping on duty), associated with hard workers and success and the growingly popular power-nap/micro-sleep in western cultures, increasingly recognised for its health benefits – yet sometimes to a fanatical fashion.
What are the benefits of a nap? According to the sleep foundation, naps have been shown to improve alertness and cognitive performance while decreasing risk factors for cardiac illnesses. A 2019 study showed that naps boosted energy levels by reducing sleep debt and negating the effects of sleep inertia (sleepiness upon awakening), coupling a nap with a caffeine dose also proved more successful.
Limiting naps to 10 – 30 minutes allow for the early stages of sleep, N1 and N2 to play out. These stages involve the relaxation of muscles, lowering and regulation of body temperature and heart rate and the possibility of sleep spindles to form (brain activity thought to be associated with memory and learning). In the interest of napping to relieve sleepiness, it is important to wake before these cycles progress into deeper levels of sleep such as N3 and REM. Once in these deeper stages, waking becomes increasingly difficult and feelings of grogginess and sleep inertia after waking are increased.
While a nap does not make up for a lack of healthy circadian rhythm sleep, techniques have been proven to increase nap efficiency, including:
- Limiting naps between 10 – 30 minutes (or before REM sleep)
- Napping before 3pm (or depending on schedules) as not to interfere with night-time sleep cycles (circadian rhythm)
- Napping in a dark, comfortable environment and listening to music or meditation (avoiding deep sleep)
References
- How the World Naps. Alison Deshong. Sleep.org. 22/03/2021. https://www.sleep.org/sleep-hygiene/napping-around-the-world/
- Sarah Shoen, Dr Anis Rehman. Sleep Foundation. 11/03/2022. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/circadian-rhythm/siestas
- Myths and Facts About Sleep. Eric Suni, Heather Wright. Sleep Foundation. 01/04/2022. https://www.sleepfoundation.org/how-sleep-works/myths-and-facts-about-sleep
- Hilditch, C. J., & McHill, A. W. (2019). Sleep inertia: current insights. Nature and science of sleep, 11, 155–165. https://doi.org/10.2147/NSS.S188911 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6710480/
- The 4 Stages of Sleep and Why They Matter. Dawn Yanek, reviewed; Dr Micheal Spertus. The Healthy. 12/09/2019. https://www.thehealthy.com/sleep/stages-of-sleep/
