Don’t Take That Midday Catnap.
Written by: Alaina Yan
As people become busier and busier, especially teenagers, midday naps have become the best at-home remedy to combat sleep deprivation and grogginess. Sleeping late and rising early, adults and teenagers struggle to maintain a healthy circadian rhythm. Stress from our constantly busy lives and overwhelming workload also contribute to the increase in naps in our day-to-day lifestyles. Whether a short two-minute nap or accidental two hour nap, napping seems to be an excellent way to clear the mind. However, studies have shown that napping may be causing more harm than good.
The body’s circadian rhythm greatly depends on sleeping at night, when the sun is away, and rising in the early morning, with the sun. Light and dark greatly impact our circadian rhythm and our body’s internal clock. While other factors, such as stress, diet, and exercise, also play a vital role in maintaining our internal circadian, following a set, regular schedule is the best way to ensure a healthy, balanced internal clock.
By breaking this precarious balance of sleeping and rising with the sun, our bodies are in disarray: awareness begins to deplete, daytime sleepiness rises, and memory and decision making become faulty. Therefore, people result in taking naps. However, the napping begins a harmful cycle of staying awake late into the night and sleeping during the day.
While the flipped circadian cycle may not seem to pose a threat, naps during the day are not sufficient enough to make up the lost hours at night. By sleeping the full nine to ten hours, the body is able to achieve SWS, or slow wave sleep. This portion of sleep is the most restorative and beneficial part of sleeping. SWS relaxes muscles and slows down heart rate and respiration.
Brainwaves collected over 30 second period. From top to bottom: SWS deep sleep brain waves, propofol slow waves, propofol bust suppression. Data shows how propofol drug affects slow deep sleep (SWS).
By taking naps, the body creates a build-up for a demand of sleep, or more specifically, SWS. The lack of restorative SWS has been loosely correlated to depression and anxiety in patients. On the other hand, those who have a more routine sleep schedule, have been found to be more aware during the day and struggle less with their mental health.
However, naps are not all terrible. While an excessive amount of naps can ruin our circadian rhythm and sleep schedules, they are still able to boost midday awareness and moods. There are just some key factors to keep in mind when taking that short nap after a long work day:
Keep it short. Long naps can disrupt sleep schedules. Remember, they cannot substitute our night time slumber!
Time it correctly. Naps are best taken in the early afternoon where the body experiences a natural circadian dip.
Nap mindfully. Although naps can help, understand that the long period of nighttime slumber is more important and influential on our day-to-day lifestyles.
Ultimately, while naps are advantageous at times, they should be avoided. With the ability to reach SWS at night in the eight to ten hour period of sleeping, having a set sleep schedule is more important than getting a temporary relief from an afternoon nap.
