Understanding Napping Preferences

There seems to be a division between people who love to nap and those who don’t. Personally, I find myself in the latter group, taking fewer than ten naps each year, while friends of mine indulge in napping almost daily.

During a recent happy hour, the topic of naps arose, and to my surprise, three out of five people confessed to napping multiple times a week, often during work hours. This makes sense, considering that typical work hours clash with the ideal napping times, and post-work naps are generally just referred to as "bedtime." Interestingly, one of the positive outcomes of the pandemic was the shift to remote work, which created a perfect environment for more frequent napping.

When the pandemic prompted many of us to work from home, it led three of my friends to establish regular napping routines, a practice that has persisted. I, however, remained a non-napper, while one friend couldn’t nap due to the nature of his laboratory work, where he is constantly monitored, and his tasks are critical.

Reflecting on this, I realize that napping during work hours never crossed my mind, and I must admit I feel a tinge of envy. I genuinely enjoy sleeping, typically getting around eight hours each night in one continuous stretch.

The few times I’ve attempted to nap, I’ve woken up feeling disoriented, as if I’ve lost track of time—reminiscent of those hazy weekends during my college days. This grogginess tends to linger, which is why I usually try to stave off naps by keeping myself occupied until the urge passes. However, the need to nap doesn’t arise often for me.

I sometimes ponder if I need to engage in more activities to tire myself out. My friends who nap seem to be working at a much faster mental pace, necessitating those restorative breaks. It’s worth noting that all of these habitual nappers are successful and accomplished individuals. I often wonder whether my brain is doing any more work while I’m awake than it does when I’m asleep, as I often find my thoughts wandering into daydreams.

Recently, I came across a study that, at first glance, could be mistaken for a commercial for a certain medication. The findings from researchers at University College London indicated that regularly taking short naps is beneficial for brain health, contributing to a larger brain size—nearly one cubic inch more than non-nappers. This increase is thought to equate to a delay in cognitive aging by three to six years. They recommend limiting naps to under thirty minutes, likely to appease employers who may prefer their employees stay alert.

The most troubling aspect of this research for me is the realization that my brain might be shrinking over time, a subtle sign of aging that isn’t as apparent as a receding hairline.

I hold out hope that one day napping will become a more integral part of my routine, allowing my brain to recover what it has lost during those long waking hours. In a recent conversation with my mom, she reminded me of my childhood when I had an unusually large head, as evidenced by the hand-me-down shirts from my older brother that I could never fit into. “You had such a big head, I could never get his shirts over it,” she recalled. “And your niece has a similarly large head,” she added. “You should try wearing her hat next time you visit.”

Even today, I still have a sizable head, and I can only hope that by avoiding naps, I’m providing my brain with the extra space it needs to function optimally. Please don’t shrink yet; I’m not finished with you!