When we were younger, we used to fight our parents or carers about going to sleep or having naps. Staying up late and throughout the day was what the adults did and it’s what we wanted to do. Fast forward to years later where getting a good night’s sleep is every person’s goal, except it isn’t always achievable. That’s when naps come in. Naps can be a great way to catch up on some extra sleep and to recharge in the middle of the day.

However, there’s also a downside to naps. They’re only beneficial if they don’t disrupt your night time sleep. So make sure that you consider the pros and cons of napping as an adult to see whether it’s actually something that can work for you and your lifestyle.

The pros of napping

Reduces sleepiness

The first and most obvious benefit of napping as an adult is that it minimizes fatigue and sleepiness. If you’re tired, then chances are, that fatigue will stay with you until you go to sleep at night, which, as a busy adult with an on-the-go lifestyle, is the last thing that you want.

Having a nap could be the solution you need. By having a quick pick-me-up during the day, you can give yourself that time to reduce sleepiness, leaving you refreshed and ready to take on the rest of the day.

Boosts performance

You perform better, whether it’s at school, work or gym, when you’re well-rested. When you’re not, it’s harder to think and concentrate and your reaction times and memory are slower.

Having a daytime nap as an adult means that you can wake up feeling recharged, meaning that the rest of the day can be much more productive (and enjoyable) than it was when you were tired.

You’ll find that you’ll be able to concentrate and focus better and boast improved memory skills, boosting your performance and results.

Improves mood

When you’re tired, you’re usually more grumpy or moody. You can have less patience and a shorter temper, which can be hard for others around you, as well as yourself.

Having a nap means that you’re reducing that drowsiness, hence will more likely be in a better mood. After all, being well-rested and refreshed can give you plenty to smile and be happy about.

The cons of napping

While there are many benefits to a daytime nap as an adult, there are also cons that you should consider.

Can cause grogginess

The intention of a nap is to wake up feeling refreshed, however, sometimes, it can actually have the opposite effect. If you fall into too much of a deep sleep, then you’ll likely wake up feeling groggy, confused and not much better than before you napped.

This can cause further disruptions to your day because this tiredness will stay with you, making it harder to concentrate and perform well.

Can disrupt your night time sleep

In an ideal world, we’ll all be able to fall asleep quickly and get our full eight hours every night. However, there are things that we can do in our lives that can make it harder for us to achieve that—and that includes napping. Napping too late in the afternoon or evening, or napping too deeply, can make it much more challenging to sleep later at night.

This means that your nightly sleep may be broken, causing you to be tired the next day. This will make it more likely for you to need a long and deep nap, and so the vicious cycle goes on.

How to nap properly

The ideal nap is around 10-20 minutes. This give you enough time to shut down and recharge, without entering the deeper stages of your sleep and hence, increasing the risk of disruption your night time sleep.

Most people tend to get tired in the early afternoon, so it’s a great time to have a quick nap. However, every person is different so if you find that it is still affecting your sleep later, then experiment with napping a little earlier instead.

Final notes

Napping as an adult can be a great way to catch up on lost sleep, improve your mood and performance and keep the fatigue at bay, if you do it right. If you nap for too long or too late in the afternoon or evening, then you can create a cycle in which you can’t get a restful sleep at night. Keep your naps short and sweet and early enough in the day to get the benefits.