Ever think you coined a term, only to discover it’s already in use? My husband and I have enjoyed ‘napachinos’ for many years. Guess we should have gotten the word copyrighted. So, is this a new drink to procure at Starbucks? Only in part.
A napachino is a combination of a great cup of coffee (well, it doesn’t HAVE to be great, but it’s important to have lofty goals in life), followed by a nap. Short shuteyes can be controversial, but perhaps becoming less so than in the recent past.
Animal Sleep Patterns
I am not lucky enough to revel in a napachino daily; they remain a luxury for me. Some folks avoid them because they assume the catnap may disrupt their natural sleep pattern. [More on that possibility later.] Yet, the National Sleep Foundation explains that the arrangement of being awake all day and sleeping in one block (monophasic) overnight is not the natural sleeping pattern of most mammals, and may not be ours either.
Biphasic or polyphasic sleep (two or more sleeping chunks of time) including naps may be more accommodating to our bodies, even if not so accommodating to our bosses, society or cultural schedules. Still, while some professionals continue to warn against naps, the sleep-deprived epidemic of this country continues to grow. We can’t blame it all on Thomas Edison.
Like most things in life, moderation is a handy rule. Temperance applies to over-napping as well. Additionally, there are techniques to achieve the most from any daytime slumbering. Some approaches work better than others. Individualized preferences develop into our preferences for a reason – we don’t all react the same.
Power Nap Tips
- The napachino works great for me, but it isn’t for those who avoid coffee. Additionally, I suspect it works best for those who limit their coffee consumption to 1 or 2 small cups/day.
… - 2:00-3:00 pm may be the best time, especially for those on ‘regular’ schedules. Even the Mayo Clinic, which is not a prime promoter of naps, agrees with this time period. [For a napachino that means coffee time is somewhere between 1 and 2:00 as a rule.]
… - Scarves and bandanas are useful. Uh? Am I just checking to see if you’re paying attention? No. Having a bandana or scarf with you (at home or out-n-about) allows you to cover your eyes and block out as much light as possible. A dark, comfortable and quiet place to snooze is the ultimate, if you can manage it.
… - Length of nap. Another controversy. Most authorities will say 20 minutes. 20-30 is also a common recommendation, especially since many of us need 10 minutes just to settle down. The reason for this short period is to keep you from entering deep, slow-wave or REM state of sleep, which can leave you sluggish and groggy when you awake.
… - Length of nap alternatives. NASA has done successful studies (see below) with 40 minutes, 2x the normal rest suggestion. Another possible alternative (for rare occasions) is to allow yourself a full cycle of sleep. This is generally 70-120 minutes depending on the person. This is best accomplished if you actually know how many minutes are in your full cycle. It’s helpful to determine this cycle-length because even over-night sleeping should allow for full sequences as well, without an alarm going off mid-cycle.
… - A tricky caveat about duration. A 2019 study was reported in the media as “Long Naps, Lots of Sleep Tied to High Stroke Risk.” Media faux pas, if I am being nice. Sensational headline grabbing with half-truths if I am not nice.
Reading that eye-catching title you would immediately think ‘naps bad, I shouldn’t nap.’ From the self-reporting questionnaires of retired Chinese employees, the study used a large sample, but there were important points to reflect upon. True, there appeared to be an “association” between habits and risk. [The authors explained this did not prove cause and effect.] People who regularly napped over 1 ½ hours or those who slept more than 9 hours a night demonstrated a significant increase in cardiovascular risk of 23%.
Still, it did not account for poor sleep issues like, snoring, sleep apnea (already a cardiovascular risk) or other sleep disorders, nor for depression. The average age of the subjects from baseline to completion was 62-68½ years old. The chief author pointed out that long naps and long nights may point to an overall inactive lifestyle, which may be more significant as a possible underlying cause for those who would regularly sleep these extended periods. Thus, we get back to ‘moderation’ instead of fear mongering about napping.
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Why Nap at All?
Consider a check-up for health problems if you are feeling sleepy throughout the day, or need a nap daily to stay awake. Actual concerns are few compared to the many benefits of daytime downtime. Let’s review some important advantages:
Creative Problem Solving, Job and Activity Performance. A well-known NASA study found that a 40-minute nap (yes, an unusual time frame to choose) demonstrated an increase of job performance by 34 percent. Since 29% of workers are estimated to get very sleepy at work, it’s no wonder that some big name companies (like Google, Proctor and Gamble, Zappos, Capitol One and Ben & Jerry’s) take this NASA study to heart. They offer employees nap time. It isn’t just for kindergarten any longer.
Alertness. The same NASA study from above (and confirmed by researchers in Greece) found that a 40-minute nap showed an increase of 100% in alertness (doubling alertness).
Reduces High Blood Pressure. High blood pressure (that is linked to heart attacks and later on dementia) is decreased by naps. A study from the European Society of Cardiology found significant improvement due to dozes. Supporting that finding, researchers in Greece noted a blood pressure drop of 5% for those who napped compared to those who did not.
Reduces Fatigue or Drowsiness. This can be especially important for driving.
Reduces Mistakes.
Increases Workplace Safety and Accident Prevention. This may relate to alertness.
Improves Memory. The immediate effect of snoozing on memory may be more beneficial to those under 60 years old, or much younger. However, there is evidence that since napping lowers blood pressure, which can help reduce dementia risk, older adults may benefit from improved memory in the long term or in the future.
Improves Night Time Rest — for Some.
Chicken or the Egg?
Before addressing drawbacks of napping, we must include the situations that are inconclusive regarding which comes first – the condition or the nap? Here are two cases mentioned in both a U.K. and Japanese study.
Respiratory functions can be jeopardized during any sleep (including naps), thus exacerbating serious breathing problems like bronchitis, emphysema and pneumonia.
Diabetes. A 2015 Wall St. Journal article links long naps and diabetes. But the question remains of the chicken and the egg. Those who frequently had long naps in the day had much greater risk of developing diabetes according to the study out of Tokyo. Still they too include several caveats: bad health to begin with may strengthen this link, short naps (20-40 minutes) do not show the increase, and exercise helps break that bond.
Who Should Not Nap?
This remains debatable. The standard advice for many with insomnia is that they should not nap. Ralph Downey III, Director of the Sleep Center at Loma Linda Medical Center, agrees. Quoted at Sleep Solutions, he states that “even just a little bit of a power nap reduces your nighttime sleep drive … the nap becomes nothing more than another episode of fragmented sleep.”
He is not alone in his advice. Mayo clinic and most medical professionals dispense the same sleep hygiene prescription.
Regarding people who have had a history of sleep deprivation from insomnia, and have long followed this typical advice but without good results – I have wondered if they might not consider another route. But so far, insomniacs are advised not to seek shut-eye during the day (full stop).
Note: Sleep apnea falls in neither category of those who should or definitely should not nap. Without other aid, there is no relief from apnea while sleeping, whether day or night. And to date, it has not been determined if the extra day-time sleep has any effect on the night time condition. Apnea, combined with older age (over 65), can increase risk of cardiovascular events. Some studies suggest this risk is increased by napping for those over 65 with untreated apnea.
Who Should Nap?
Three groups should seriously consider proactive napping for health and safety matters.
- Shift workers (a very stressful life-style)
Professional or commercial vehicle drivers- Narcoleptic patients (who may avoid or reduce attacks of instant sleep or “sleep attacks” by preventative napping)
In addition to these groups are:
- Those feeling stressed, ill or sleepy
(although simple sleepiness might better be tackled with a couple minutes of physical activity) - Those planning ahead for a stressful or long wakeful period
- Those sleep deprived or in sleep debt from previous activity
FINAL THOUGHT
I forgot to add that another advantage of a napachino (for me) is that the coffee helps with any possible grogginess after the siesta. [Oh yes, and I didn’t cover the fact that much of the world partakes in a siesta.]
Like all other health matters, to nap or not to nap is a personal decision. But for those of us who periodically do, it’s especially advisable to use the power napping tips. Especially so if you are new to the snooze.
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Resources:
Suggested reading: Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker.
British Medical Journal. Once or Twice Weekly Daytime Nap Linked to Lower Heart Attack-Stroke Risk.
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Picture credit: coffee cup liana-mikah-L5cEmk3ucYY-unsplash.jpg; cat napping paul-hanaoka-LcAZcVWsCIo-unsplash.jpg
