By Ellie Weisberg, Staff Writer
We have all been there. Whether it’s going to bed late or not at all because of an assignment that should’ve been finished the previous evening, tiredness does not escape YU students. We’ve all had that morning where we have had to drag ourselves out of bed and felt as if we have to pry our eyes open to keep ourselves from falling asleep during class.
Exhaustion is not a new phenomenon for college students, and it causes disturbances in cognitive functioning, emotion, and physical wellbeing. Every once in a while, one may find themselves so tired that the only solution is to take a nap in between classes instead of working on assignments or hanging out with friends. Many college students take a nap every once in a while to try and substitute for the utter lack of sleep they got the night before.
However, this seemingly routine practice leaves the question – does napping work? How long should one nap for? What benefits can you get from napping? When is the most optimal time to take a quick snooze?
If done correctly, napping can actually provide a lot of benefits. Studies show that napping can help working memory, decrease stress levels, and provide an energy boost. They also indicate that napping is more effective than drinking energy drinks like Monster or Celsius. However, caffeine is proven to be more effective when combined with a nap. Caffeine typically takes around ten minutes and reaches a high after 45 minutes, so if you drink a cup of coffee, and then take a short nap, you are more likely to wake up feeling energized.
Even if you are taking a nap without waiting for caffeine to kick in, your nap should not be longer than 30 minutes. A nap that is approximately 20 minutes gives your body enough time for sleep onset and allows plenty of time for your body to engage in stages one and two of the sleep cycle, which has been proven to improve alertness and reduce fatigue. Scientists also compared the length of naps to see if longer naps led to longer lasting positive effects and found an increase in longevity which plateaued around the 30 minute mark. Furthermore, they found that longer naps have the caveat of sleep inertia, the groggy feeling one gets after waking up.
As for the timing of the nap, there is a time of day called “the post lunch dip,” which is determined to be the optimal time to nap during this decrease in alertness and performance in the early to midafternoon. Napping later in the day will likely cause a disturbance in one’s circadian rhythm, their body’s internal clock, and cause sleep fragmentation, which only causes further exhaustion.
Napping can be a helpful tool when you miss a good night of sleep. While it is best to take a 20 minute nap in the midafternoon if you choose to do so, it is important to remember that napping is not a substitute for a normal sleep schedule. Our bodies need sleep, and while the occasional nap boost is a helpful tool, it is more important to stay on top of your sleeping habits rather than relying on naps for energy.