Daytime Sleep – Is It Good Or Bad?

Written By Alex Petrović

Sleep Consultant

23 May 2024 6 min read

Some people think that sleeping exclusively belongs to the nighttime, others can't go without their daytime power nap. But, what do experts say? 

Is sleeping during the day time good for you, or is it just a way to mess your sleeping cycle? Is it just a waste or time, or can it actually make you more efficient during the rest of the day? Researches show that daytime sleep is a healthy practice in general, but, it should be avoided in certain cases. Some people tend to make a habit of it, which isn't bad by itself, but it can lead to developing insomnia, especially if a person is already prone to it. Even if you have cured your problem with insomnia and left it in the past, it doesn't mean that you shouldn't be careful when it comes to your sleeping habits.

People who had never had any sleeping disorders can benefit a lot from daytime sleep, provided it’s short and well timed.

Why daytime sleep?

Getting the most of your rest during daytime is never a good choice, but a short snooze after lunch can actually help your body and mind perform more efficiently. Individuals who suffer from blood pressure problems can benefit a lot from daily rest. Sleep helps our body keep our blood pressure in order, which can be very important for elderly individuals. Also, studies show that short rest during the daytime can help ladies struggling with menopause to keep those annoying symptoms at bay.

Besides physical benefits, daytime sleep can help our mental and emotional state. Short rest can help our brain to become more alert and make us more efficient at our work or study. Also, when well rested we are less prone to stress, and it gets easier for us to handle various emotional and physical challenges. People who have physically demanding jobs or rigorous exercises tend to be more efficient after short sleep during daytime. Individuals who have intellectually stimulating and challenging daily activities can also benefit from a short rest. There are some evidences that link daytime sleep with a memory improvement. So, let's see when you should wait for a nightfall to get your rest, and when a daytime sleep can do you some good.

There are two main scenarios in which you should avoid daytime sleep, and we shall talk about them first.

Recommended reading: Benefits of Sleeping With An Eye Mask

Insomnia

If you are suffering from lack of sleep you should definitely stay away from daytime napping till you solve your sleeping problem. People who have chronic insomnia often tend to feel drowsy during the day, which is natural body’s reaction to sleep deprivation. However, people who suffer from any form of insomnia should try to resist the urge for daytime sleep because it could take away any chance of much needed rest at night. Since insomnia can lead to many health problems, try not to worsen it by sleeping during the day. Instead, wait for the nighttime to get your needed rest.

Depression

Depression is often linked to the feelings of tiredness, over exhaustion and chronic sleepiness. If the reason you are feeling tired and drowsy during the day comes from your depression, sleeping during the day can actually have contra effects. Depression is a very complex and serious emotional and mental state that has a strong bad influence on your energy level. Ironically, depression often induces insomnia. If you think that you could be suffering from depression daytime sleep could be the thing for you to avoid. It could interfere with your already disturbed sleeping cycle, and even leave you feeling more tired than you initially did.

Now, if you don’t have sleeping disorder such as insomnia and you are not suffering from depression, then go ahead and treat yourself with a nice daily rest. Let’s find out in which ways it can benefit you!

Boosting your energy

Experts agree that short power nap can significantly increase your energy levels, but, be careful. Too much daytime sleep can leave you feeling even more sleepy afterwards and mess up your biological rhythm. For daytime sleep to be most effective and beneficious it has to be short and well timed. You shouldn’t spend more than an hour on your daily nap, with the ideal amount of about 30 minutes. Try to time your daytime sleep just after lunch, approximately between 2 PM and 3 PM.

Health benefits

Medical studies have shown that daytime sleep has a wide range of positive influences on your health. Well rested body performs more easily and more efficiently. Tiredness and exhaustion are types of stressful states for our bodies and they can lead to different health issues. Daytime rest balances out your blood sugar levels and benefits your blood pressure. Healthy blood sugar level is very important for your health and it can help you with treating other health issues that you might have. Getting blood sugar in order can help individuals struggling with weight loss. Also, it can help women with improving their hormonal balance. Daytime sleep can be very beneficiary for pregnant women and help them deal with fatigue and feeling of tiredness. 

Memory and performance

One beneficiary factor of daytime sleep can be specially interesting for all of the busy, ambitious people out there that want to get the most of the day. Even though some people tend to look upon daytime sleep as a routine of lazy folks, some researches offer results that point to the quite opposite situation. Daytime sleep can make our brain more alert, more efficient, we can perform difficult tasks faster and boost our memory capacity. So, a short nap can be a great answer for students, people with demanding jobs or those dealing with a lot of work related stress. Fast and busy lifestyle doesn’t need to mean compromising with our efficiency as long as we are well rested and full of energy.

Beauty nap

Now, let’s talk about one more thing that you can gain from your nap. So, besides great things that it can do for your health and mind, a nice rest can also make your skin glow! Sleep helps circulation in your body and it can leave your face looking rested and radiant. Daily sleep can help you with getting rid of eyebags and it actually benefits the general health and looks of your skin and hair. Researches show us that getting enough sleep reduces the number of wrinkles. So, knowing this, you can add daytime sleep to your beauty regiment.

Conclusion

Yes, if the situation allows for it, you too can catch a quick power daytime nap or a beauty nap! There are many benefits to sleeping during daytime and you should definitely try it out. Some people son’t really feel comfortable sleeping during the day, and that’s okay! As long as you get enough rest, whether it be daytime or nighttime, you’re set.

Recommended reading:

• Depression and sleep – how these are connected
• The connection between diet and sleeping
• Pyjamas or undies? What’s the best sleeping attire?
• How Does a Workout Before Bed Affect Sleep?

About the author

Alex Petrović

Sleep Consultant

A CPD certified Sleep Consultant with more than 2000 hours of research into all the different ways we can get a great night's sleep. As a former insomniac, I know how difficult life can be without a nightly recovery and I love that I get to share everything I've learned with you all. So hopefully we can all sleep soundly!