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DO YOU NEED A NAP?
By Rich Maloof
While people around the world casually recline into their afternoon siestas, our sleep-deprived nation pushes pretty hard against taking a nap. But we may need one: Nearly one-third of America's workforce reports falling asleep or feeling very sleepy on the job, and many Americans admit to nodding off while driving.
This country full of yawning people still tends to shun napping as a mark of laziness. But, contrary to the stigma, catching a short snooze in the afternoon may actually be a boon to productivity, learning and mood.
A brief, well-timed nap may have a positive effect on disposition and mental health, and is thought to also help restore cognitive clarity. One study at NASA, for example, showed that sleepy pilots and astronauts experienced a 34 percent boost in performance and a 100 percent improvement in alertness after a short snooze. Once refreshed and re-energized, we seem to be better equipped to absorb new information, solve problems and complete tasks while making fewer errors.
Understanding that life's commitments present many obstacles to taking 40 winks in the middle of the day, here are some of the most common questions about napping.
Why am I usually tired after lunch?
The body's biological rhythms naturally include a period of sleepiness in the afternoon, typically around 2:30. This daytime lull in the sleep-wake cycle, known as the circadian dip, can leave you less alert and sometimes overwhelmingly sleepy. Eating a heavy lunch may contribute to this afternoon slump.
Will a nap refresh me or just make me want to sleep more?
According to the National Sleep Foundation, a nap of 20 to 30 minutes can help improve mood, alertness and performance. Longer naps, however, may lead to sleep inertia, which is the feeling of grogginess and disorientation experienced when awakening from a deep sleep. Sleep inertia is likely to last longer, even up to an hour, if the nap extends beyond a half-hour. A recent study suggests that a 10-minute daytime snooze provides the most benefit in terms of reduced sleepiness and improved cognitive performance.
Why do little children and the elderly nap so frequently?
Sleep patterns change as we age. Toddlers between the ages of 1 and 3 need about 12 to 14 hours of sleep in every 24-hour cycle; in fact, by age 2, most children have spent more time asleep than awake. During sleeping hours, the brain processes information while the body releases growth hormones and restores cells.
Older people need just as much sleep as younger adults (about seven to nine hours) but spend less time in the deepest, most restful sleep stages. They're also more likely to have medical conditions, such as sleep apnea or insomnia, that can disrupt sleep and leave them tired in the daytime.
Does a nap make up for lost sleep?
A short nap can help you be more alert and less stressed after a sleepless night. However, inadequate nighttime rest leads to what experts call "sleep debt" — time owed the body in rest, which is difficult to pay back. The body's daily patterns of hormonal, metabolic and neurological changes can be upset by poor sleep habits and irregular intervals of rest.
If I nap now, will I be able to sleep tonight?
The short answer is yes, provided you don't nap too late or too long. A late-afternoon nap can make it difficult to fall asleep at your usual bedtime. Napping for more than 30 minutes increases the chance of sleep inertia and of entering a full sleep cycle — a 90-minute plunge through various sleep stages, during which the body does not want to be disturbed.
RICH MALOOF is an award-winning writer who contributes regularly to outlets such as MSN, CNN and Women's Health.
