Nap how long is too long

Napping isn't for everyone. Some people simply can't sleep during the day or have trouble sleeping in places other than their own beds, which napping sometimes requires.

If you're experiencing an increased need for naps and there's no obvious cause of new fatigue in your life, talk to your doctor. You could be taking a medication or have a sleep disorder or other medical condition that's disrupting your nighttime sleep. After napping, give yourself time to wake up before resuming activities — particularly those that require a quick or sharp response. There is a problem with information submitted for this request.

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Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below. A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here. This content does not have an English version. This content does not have an Arabic version. See more conditions. Healthy Lifestyle Adult health. In the most beneficial naps, a person will only go into the first and second stages of sleep.

These stages are more superficial and can help a person feel refreshed without them needing to go into a deeper sleep. For most people, the whole sleep cycle is somewhere around 90— minutes long. Allowing the brain and body to reach the deep stages of sleep makes a person much less responsive to outside stimuli. It also causes the brain to release compounds that can make a person more tired, which helps them stay asleep for the whole night. A person who wakes up from a nap feeling heavy and groggy likely went further into their sleep cycle.

If this happens regularly after naps, they may want to check how long they are sleeping for and set an alarm. For instance, newborns sleep most of the day, as their development takes a lot of energy. Young babies are also likely to take a few long naps throughout the day, which is good for their health. Toddlers and young children will start to develop a regular sleep pattern, but they could still benefit from taking a nap in the afternoon.

For example, they may respond well to longer naps of around an hour in the middle of their day. Teenagers face many challenges that can make them feel tired, such as hormonal changes, studying, and early school start times. One study found that the best nap duration for teenagers is around 30—60 minutes. The authors of a study note the long history of research that has found strong evidence of the health effects of napping, including:.

When it comes to long term health effects, there is nothing to suggest that napping is unhealthful in most individuals. That said, some people may not benefit from naps. For instance, people who have sleep disorders such as insomnia may find that napping makes it more difficult for them to fall asleep at night.

Although 20 minutes is the ideal nap length for most people, it can vary. A person may want to take a series of test naps of around 10—45 minutes to find their ideal nap length. Oversleeping has been linked to an increased risk of a number of conditions, including:. Too little sleep can also have a number of negative effects on your health.

Not getting enough sleep causes daytime sleepiness and irritability, and can impact your performance. Other effects of sleep deprivation include:. Napping may be a luxury that few people can afford in these hectic times, but if you can manage to get even just 10 minutes of shut-eye during the day, you can reap numerous health benefits.

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