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Napping: Do's and don'ts for healthy adults
Napping isn't just for children. Understand types of naps, pros and cons of napping, and the best way to take a nap.
By Mayo Clinic staffIf you're sleep deprived or just looking for a way to relax, you may be thinking about taking a nap. Napping at the wrong time of day or for too long can backfire, though. Understand how to get the most out of a nap.
What are the benefits of napping?
Napping offers various benefits for healthy adults, including:
- Relaxation
- Reduced fatigue
- Increased alertness
- Improved mood
- Improved performance, including quicker reaction time, better memory, less confusion, and fewer accidents and mistakes
What are the downsides to napping?
Napping isn't for everyone. Some people have trouble sleeping in places other than their own beds, while others simply can't sleep during the day. Napping can also have negative effects, such as:
- Sleep inertia. You may feel groggy and disoriented after waking up from a nap.
- Nighttime sleep problems. Short naps generally don't affect nighttime sleep quality for most people. However, if you experience insomnia or poor sleep quality at night, napping may worsen these problems. Long naps may interfere with nighttime sleep.
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- Dhand R, et al. Good sleep, bad sleep! The role of daytime naps in healthy adults. Current Opinion in Pulmonary Medicine. 2006;12:379.
- Lau H, et al. Daytime napping: Effects on human direct associative and relational memory. Neurobiology of Learning and Memory. 2010;93:554.
- Sleep deprivation. American Academy of Sleep Medicine. http://www.aasmnet.org/Resources/FactSheets/SleepDeprivation.pdf. Accessed April 12, 2010.
- Takahashi M. The role of prescribed napping in sleep medicine. Sleep Medicine Reviews. 2003;7:227.
- Milner CE, et al. Benefits of napping in healthy adults: Impact of nap length, time of day, age, and experience with napping. Journal of Sleep Research. 2009;18:272.
- Goldman SE, et al. Association between nighttime sleep and napping in older adults. Sleep. 2008;31:733.
- Takahashi PY (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 22, 2010.
- Morgenthaler TI (expert opinion). Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minn. July 23, 2010.
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