Is napping good for you?

Napping can have both positive and negative effects. While it can be beneficial for restoring your energy levels and topping up lost sleep, it may also start to impact your ability to get to sleep and stay asleep when you go to bed in the evenings.

Here are some points to consider when assessing your sleep needs and deciding if napping is right for you.

Having short naps, such as those that are between 10 and 30 minutes, can boost alertness, concentration and cognitive performance.  It can help you feel refreshed during the day, especially if you experience a post-lunch energy dip. It may also improve your mood and improve your overall emotional state.

However, the potential downside of napping includes its ability to cause you to become even more fatigued after you wake up, leaving you feeling groggy and disoriented. Regular napping can create a dependence on daytime sleep and might be a sign of inadequate nighttime sleep or an underlying sleep disorder.

Take note of how often you nap, and how you feel after napping. Whether you wind up feeling refreshed or disoriented depends on many factors; your doctor can help you determine whether the positive effects of napping outweigh the negative.