Is Daily Napping Bad for You? Scientist Explains

We’ve all been there. It’s the middle of the afternoon, your eyelids are heavy, and you can barely focus.

So you close your eyes for half an hour. When you wake up, you feel great. But later that night, you’re lying in bed staring at the ceiling, wondering why you can’t fall asleep.

That nap may be the reason.

Afternoon naps can be a great way to recharge. They can help boost memory, lift your mood, and improve focus, according to Videnskab.

But for many people, they come with a downside. Napping too long or too late in the day can mess with your ability to sleep at night.

This is because our bodies follow a natural rhythm. Most people feel a drop in energy between 1 and 4 in the afternoon.

It’s not just the lunch. It’s part of how our body controls sleep and alertness throughout the day.

A short nap during this low-energy window can be helpful. It gives the brain a break. A 10 to 20-minute nap is usually best. You’ll feel refreshed, not groggy.

But if you nap too long, things change. You may enter deep sleep. Waking up during this stage can make you feel worse than before.

This is known as sleep inertia. It can last up to an hour and leave you feeling foggy or disoriented.

Late naps can also reduce your natural sleep pressure. That’s the tired feeling that builds up the longer you’re awake.

If you nap too late, it can make it harder to fall asleep at night.

For some people, naps are necessary. Shift workers and new parents may need them to catch up.

Athletes and people in high-focus jobs also use naps to boost performance. Even NASA found a 26-minute nap can help pilots stay alert.

The trick is to nap smart. Keep it short. Do it early in the afternoon. Find a quiet, cool place.

And most importantly, pay attention to how it affects your nighttime sleep. What works for one person might not work for another.