Why nap is important

Lay down on a bed or cot to allow the brain to progress into deeper sleep and promote better recovery. Long naps may make it harder to fall asleep at night because they reduce the buildup of pressure for sleep.

This is not an issue if you are very sleep deprived or fighting an infection, for instance. Allow time for drowsiness to pass before performing critical tasks. Managers can consider these issues to make use of naps: How to schedule staff for naps How to wake them such as by an alarm or a designated person Where staff will take the naps How to cover work activities while staff members nap Naps are a temporary help to improve alertness, not a replacement for getting regular, adequate sleep at night.

Links with this icon indicate that you are leaving the CDC website. Show references Kryger MH, et al. Psychological and behavioral treatments for insomnia II: Implementation and specific populations. In: Principles and Practice of Sleep Medicine. Louis, Mo. Accessed Sept. Faraut B, et al. Napping: A public health issue. From epidemiological to laboratory studies.

Sleep Medicine Reviews. Maski K. Insufficient sleep: Evaluation and management. Mantua J, et al. Exploring the nap paradox: Are mid-day sleep bouts a friend or foe?

Sleep Medicine. Tamaki M, et al. Night watch in one brain hemisphere during sleep associated with the first-night effect in humans. Current Biology. Sleep is essential for your mind and body. It keeps you alert and focused. It helps cement memories. It may even boost your immune system, protecting you from illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease.

Given the many benefits of sleep, napping should be a no-brainer for better health, right? Unfortunately, the research shows mixed results. For instance, napping may relieve stress and improve alertness. It may also be good for your emotions. One study found napping may block negative feelings like frustration and impulsiveness. Research shows that catching a few ZZZs after lunch can be good for your brain. But keep in mind that the length of your nap matters. While a to minute nap in older adults appears to have brain benefits, anything longer than an hour and a half may create problems with cognition, the ability to think and form memories, according to the study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society.

For older people, as the study showed, longer naps tend to interfere with cognition, she says. Researchers looked at data from 2, people in China ages 65 and older.