Is it Good to Nap?

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More and more people are beginning to nap during the day, grabbing time to sleep whenever they can. This is generally a good idea, should you have shift work, a new baby etc. By napping you are catching up on sleep you may lose at night. New mothers, carers and others who are likely to have disturbed nights, are encouraged to try and sleep whenever they can, for as long as they can. Whilst a quick power nap may seem refreshing, and it will be, it is also very important that your body is allowed to enter into deep sleep, which will come later on in your sleep cycle. Equally REM sleep is needed too. Therefore, a longer nap will allow for this deep sleep stage and may benefit you even more than a quick power nap, especially if you are not sleeping for long periods during the night.

Naps are particularly beneficial to Narcoleptics, as they can prevent an attack from happening and reduce the feeling of fatigue. Equally, naps are also very helpful for migraine sufferers, and it is recommended that if you feel a migraine coming on, you nap, as this may prevent the migraine from developing.

Additionally, a nap whilst you are suffering from the migraine can get rid of the migraine altogether.

If you are napping simply because you are tired, it is recommended that you try not to nap for longer than an hour as this may disrupt your night’s sleep again that night. If you do feel you need to nap, try to do so before 3pm so your body is ready to sleep again at your usual bedtime.

Read more in the Sleep Disorders & Sleep Problems Information Guide

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