Napping. Some people love it, some hate it, while others claim to be bad at it. Whatever camp you fall into, the verdict (and research) is out—napping can be good for your body and brain … when done correctly.
Yes, there is a right and wrong way to take a nap. Neurologists and sleep specialists are changing the way we think of and go about taking an afternoon snooze. The general consensus: Nap for less than 30 minutes, don’t nap too late in the afternoon, and not all sleep is created equal. Daytime zzz’s don’t compare to the sleep we accumulate at night. In other words, you can’t nap your way out of sleep debt.
Catching up on a couple of hours of missed sleep over the weekend may help counteract the lack of sleep throughout the week in the interim. However, as renowned sleep specialist and author of “The Sleep Solution” (Berkley, April 2017), W. Chris Winter, M.D., will tell you, napping isn’t a viable long-term solution for making up lost sleep. In fact, the doctor reserves napping for efficient nighttime sleepers, not for those burning the candle at both ends, and he warns against it for those who struggle with any number of sleep issues.