Tossing and Turning: Putting the Nap Debate to Bed

PRO-NAP:

When I was a kid, I didn’t understand why people wanted to take naps. They felt like a waste of time — why would I sleep when I could go to the park or make slime. In college, however, naps have become a regular part of my routine. 

Whether it’s because I didn’t get a good night’s sleep, ran a 5K or just had a long day, a nap is a quick fix for almost any poor mood. 

There are many proven benefits to some midday shut eye, as napping regularly can help people relax, increase alertness, facilitate overall better moods and increase productivity, according to Mayo Clinic.

A 20-minute nap is the prime amount of time to rest without entering a deep, grog-inducing sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation. No need to worry about wasting your day with a nap — reaping the benefits takes minimal time. 

The best way to nap so your regular sleep schedule isn’t disheveled is between noon and 4 p.m., according to Yale Medicine. Get comfy on the couch, turn down the lights and enjoy an afternoon power nap.

A midday nap has also been proven to improve athletic performance, according to the Sleep Foundation. Allowing your body to rest and reset is a key part of recovery. 

Even better, these advantages can be enjoyed regardless of whether you’re a frequent napper or an occasional dozer — there’s no need to nap every day if you don’t want to. I’ve found on days when I work out or take an exam, my body craves a nap. If I don’t feel the need to rest, I don’t push myself to do so. 

A majority of Americans — 57% — said they feel they need more sleep, according to an April Gallup Poll. When I have too much to do, rest is the first thing I decide I dont have time for — but really, that 20-minute nap I’m missing could boost my productivity and fuel my energy for the rest of the day. 

On average, college students get between six and seven hours of sleep each night — not enough to be at full strength while completing school work, volunteering or even seeing friends the following day, according to the University of Georgia. 

Individuals who take a midday nap are happier, excel academically and have fewer behavioral problems, according to Penn Today.

Naps have ample advantages and don’t need to take up more than 20 minutes. From athletes looking to improve performance, students resting up after a big exam or those like me, napping strictly for enjoyment, I urge you — don’t sleep on taking a nap.

ANTI-NAP:

When I say I’m tired and someone tells me to “just take a nap,” I roll my eyes.

For me, taking a nap is never a successful solution to being tired. I either find myself unable to fall asleep — just wasting time — or I wake up disoriented and groggy.

Nap daze is distinct from morning grogginess — it seems to linger. I never want to get up from a nap. I just want to sleep the day away. 

A few hours after waking from a nap, when my grogginess has finally dissipated, I can admit I feel wide awake — ready to take on the world. 

But then, it’s time for bed. When I get into my bed after a day where I took a nap, sleep doesn’t seem to come. I spend a majority of the night tossing and turning. 

And then, seemingly as soon as I drift off, my alarm starts to ring. 

Napping is a waste of time. It’s an unproductive way to spend your afternoon when there are so many other things to do, like completing schoolwork, exercising or making memories with friends. 

The vicious cycle many fall into is not sleeping enough one night and compensating with a nap the following day. However, this can make it difficult to fall asleep later that night, so the cycle of not sleeping enough and napping too much continues. Affected individuals spend their days tired and waning, waiting for when they can sleep. 

To be clear, I’m not talking about laying down for a few minutes to rest your eyes. I mean naps that last a few hours

Napping all the time can also be a side effect of depression, diabetes or heart disease, as chronic sleep deprivation can be a symptom of these illnesses, according to Harvard Health

When I try to take a nap, all I do is think about other things I could be doing instead. 

People — especially students — should be awake and active during the day. Humans aren’t nocturnal. We shouldn’t spend every moment tired, wishing we were asleep.

I get that some days it’s easy to just feel so tired. That lull arrives at 3 p.m. and a comfy nap in a cozy bed may be calling you. 

But napping isn’t the only way to replenish energy. Spending time with loved ones or taking some time for yourself by reading, studying or working out can have the same vitalizing effect without the risk of an erratic sleep schedule. Exercising boosts one’s energy and mood, according to Mayo Clinic, while napping just makes you more tired than you were before. 

A third of Americans take naps daily, according to the Pew Research Center. Roughly 113 million people are wasting their afternoons.

Prioritize your time awake. Use it wisely. Harness the time you would spend napping and channel it into a burst of productivity so you can go to bed early, reflecting on a day well-spent and sleep however much you need. You deserve it.