Benefits of Naps

If you live in the United States, you probably haven’t taken regular naps since kindergarten. While napping is an important part of some cultures, like the siesta in Spain, at surface level, it’s not in line with the American values of hard work and productivity. (1)

But Americans are increasingly sleep-deprived, likely because of our nation’s focus on productivity and the busyness it causes. Napping is considered normal for young children and elderly people. But naps have many benefits for young and middle-aged adults, too. (1)

The benefits of naps include: (1, 2)

• improved mood
• decreased fatigue
• relaxation
• improved alertness
• enhanced performance, including memory and reaction time

Three Types of Naps

While naps might all seem the same at first glance, they can actually be split into three categories.

1. Planned Napping

You can take a planned nap before you actually feel tired. Also called preparatory napping, this type of nap is planned to keep you from getting tired later. You might take a planned nap if you know you’re going to be up late for an event that evening. (1)

2. Emergency Napping

Taking an emergency nap happens when you’re so tired that you can’t continue with what you’re doing, especially if it may become dangerous. For instance, a driver might pull over to take an emergency nap if they’re concerned about falling asleep at the wheel. (1)

3. Habitual Napping

Habitual napping happens every day around the same time. One example is when a child has naptime at the same time each afternoon. An after-lunch siesta for adults is another form of habitual napping. (1)

How to Take Your Best Nap

While napping is generally beneficial, there are a few pitfalls you want to avoid. Here are some tips for setting yourself up for the best nap: (1, 2)

• Keep your nap short, between 20 and 30 minutes. This is the right amount of time to increase your alertness. Naps longer than that can cause sleep inertia, a feeling of grogginess and disorientation. This happens because you’re waking up from a deeper sleep when you nap longer than 20 or 30 minutes. Limiting how long your nap lasts will ensure you reap its benefits.
• Napping too late in the day and taking a long nap can both interfere with your sleep that night. Don’t take naps after 3 p.m. so you don’t end up sleep-deprived the next day.
• Create a restful environment by limiting noise and light, as well as making the space a comfortable temperature. This will help you fall and stay asleep for the duration of your nap so that you get the most out of it.

Napping as a Form of Resistance

Atlanta organization ‘The Nap Ministry’ sees napping as both a form of social justice and resistance. Tricia Hersey, The Nap Ministry’s leader, is known as the Nap Bishop. Her message involves combatting the idea of “hustle” and that people should always be busy. (3, 4)

“We are trying to push back on the idea that your productivity determines your worth,” Hersey told USA Today. “I think it’s really powerful for someone to say that it’s OK to rest, it’s OK to take a break.” (4)

Hersey started The Nap Ministry after earning her master’s of divinity from the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta. In graduate school, Hersey found herself exhausted by how rigorous the program was, working two internships, and navigating a school populated mostly by conservative white men as a black woman. (4)

“I wasn’t engaged in class,” Hersey said to USA Today. “So I started sleeping anywhere I could. I napped outside and in buildings all over campus.” (4)

Hersey was rejuvenated by her naps. After graduating, she decided she wanted to share the power of naps as a form of self-care. She’s particularly interested in bringing her message of rest to the Black community, she told Bon Appetit, because “of the weathering of Black bodies from just living and trying to survive, and at the same time experiencing microaggressions every day.” (4, 5)

The Nap Ministry holds monthly nap sessions in Atlanta. Hersey has also led napping events in other parts of the country, both as pop-up events and as part of retreats. She hopes to eventually purchase a facility in Atlanta as a permanent home for The Nap Ministry’s events. (4)

No matter your reason for taking a nap, the benefits are plentiful. Regularly getting a full, restful night of sleep is still the number one way to feel your best. But naps can give you a boost when you need it. (1)