April's Community Q&A - What About Naps?
The good, the bad, and the sleepy
“Dagny, what can you tell me about napping? Is it good? Is it bad? How long do I nap for?”
Well, honestly as a sleep researcher, the only thing I can really say about naps is that none of us should ever take them. Truly. They are really bad for the body and if you’re actually healthy, they should, under no circumstances, be necessary. Period.
…
April fools!
I actually love naps and I am a huge advocate for them. I’ll try to keep this short and sweet1 but here are the most important things to consider when thinking about if a nap is right for you2. Here’s the quick and dirty about naps.
Naps are inherently a neutral sleep tool. If you love naps, take naps! If you’re not a napper, no need to force yourself to nap. However, even if you’re not a napper, you might consider a dedicated “rest” practice on days that you’re feeling like you need a boost.
The evidence-based, gold standard nap recommendations look something like this:
25 minutes or less is ideal
No naps before 11 AM
No naps after 3 PM
Even if you can’t actually fall sleep—lying down for a nap and attempting to sleep is still a positive restorative rest practice.
A 20-minute nap can bolster creativity, cognitive precision & focus, and physiological restoration
Naps should be used as supplemental to our lives but are not a replacement for nighttime sleep
If you have the time, space, and resources, there is nothing wrong with taking naps regularly
The specific techniques for napping will look slightly different for everyone, but once you get the system down, naps are less likely to trigger anxiety than nighttime sleep for folx with insomnia and can increase states of rest in those who identify as healthy sleepers.
If you’re currently struggling with chronic sleep difficulties and are specifically having a difficult time falling asleep at night3, try cutting down on the naps for a week or two and double down on going to bed at an aligned time to your unique chronotype.
In short—I’m a huge fan of naps.
Thank you to the several clients who have asked about naps this past month. The innate wisdom within your curiosity, inspired this April’s Community Q&A.
Happy Spring,
Dagny Rose
This sub-section of The Art of Rest, is all about threads that hold us together—The Community Wisdom.
Here the Art of Rest honors and acknowledges there is no “one” right way that works for everyone. There are so many valid ways of knowing, and we need each and every one.
We believe deeply that a diversity of thoughts, creative practices, and perspectives is what keeps our lives rich and evolving. In this section, “Community Wisdom” is where we post short interviews with creatives, scientists, and restful people4 so that we might continue to learn from each other’s inherent and earned wisdom.
Looking For A Personalized Way to Optimize Your Rest?
Exciting announcement—my books are now open for the spring! I am looking forward to giving winter guidance around sleep health & nervous system regulation around stress. I offer individualized 1:1 guidance for those who want to use rest as a way to expand their creativity, folks who just need a tune up, all the way towards people who might be dealing with chronic rest related issues.
Shoot me an email at dagnyrose@theartofrest.me to inquire about getting started, having a seasonal spring check up, or to see how we might be able to work together. My final spring bookings are open from April 28 - June 10.
I’m finding that my recent shift in working to write shorter articles has been hard! It turns out I love talking about the nuances of sleep and changing to a short-form newsletter is tougher than I thought, haha.
This article is not meant to service as medical or mental health advice and is for educational purposes only.
rather than staying asleep