Good news for you
nappers out there: Research shows that a 45-minute nap can greatly improve
memory performance. A study was done recently at the University of Saarland,
where participants were shown a list of 90 words and 120 word pairs, of which
had no previous relation to one another (for example, milk-taxi). Participants
who took a 45-60 minute nap compared to the group that watched DVDs were able
to recall these words and word pairs as well as they did right after the
learning stage, or right after they memorized these words (University Saarland 2015).
During this study,
the researchers looked at the hippocampus, which is responsible for turning
learned information into long-term memory. The activity of the hippocampus was
measured on an electroencephalogram (EEG), where the activity of “sleep
spindles” was observed in the napping group. This brain activity is a “burst of
rapid oscillations in the EEG” that are suspected consolidate learning memory
into the long-term memory storage. The more sleep spindles that the person
experiences, the stronger the memory will be. The results of the study were
that those who took naps did significantly better when remembering the words
and word pairs.
Research on naps
is a popular topic; researchers have studied the effects of naps on weight,
likelihood of getting disease, productivity and overall health and wellness.
The National Sleep Foundation has a whole page on napping benefits and tips,
but they do make specifications: a nap under 40 minutes increases alertness and
productivity, but longer naps can decrease productivity and make a person more
fatigued than before, because they made it to a deeper REM sleep. This can also
cause sleep inertia that night. The best thing to do if you are feeling
fatigued is to drink caffeine and then take a 20 minute nap- by the time you
wake back up, the caffeine will have started to kick in (National Sleep
Foundation, n.d.).
Personally, I am a
fan of naps. It is very hard to get the recommended 7 or 8 hours of sleep every
night while in college due to the amount of work and extracurricular activities
most students are involved in, so I typically am fatigued. I have heard that
short naps can energize, and getting enough sleep during the night helps the
brain process what it has learned, but I was not aware that short naps have the
same effect of enhancing learned memory to long term memory. All the more
reason to take even a quick nap after that all-night cram session!
References:
Napping.
(n.d.). Retrieved April 2, 2015, from http://sleepfoundation.org/sleep-topics/napping?page=0,2
University Saarland. (2015, March 20). Neuropsychology: Power naps
produce a significant improvement in memory performance. ScienceDaily.
Retrieved April 1, 2015 from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2015/03/150320091315.htm
I know some countries, and I've heard tales of Google here in the US as well, allow nap times during the work day. Saying naps are good for you, I feel like, would cause some unwanted things to happen, such as staying up too late just because you think getting a nap the next day is all you need. But no matter what, getting the recommended amount of sleep all at once is most beneficial. However, as you said, it is difficult for many, and at least getting it in smaller amounts show benefits as well. I understand why 45-60 minute naps would be more beneficial, because that's the time needed to get to the REM sleep where so many things happen. If this was redone for shorter nap times, say 20 minutes, I feel the same short to long-term memory benefits would not be the same. I'm glad we have a National Sleep Foundation to do these studies and report tips.
ReplyDeleteI think naps are amazing things. My roommates and I tend to have very different sleeping patterns, so it's interesting to compare. I always try to get 7 hours of sleep. It's hard a lot of the time, but I think it is something important in order to function. My roommates tend to get 5 hours of sleep. You can easily see the difference in actions a physical appearance. As weeks have gone by, you start to see the bags and even some side effects like stress and nausea. I think that if they were to just take a simple hour nap that their efficiency and happiness would improve.
ReplyDeleteI wonder at what point of sleep deprivation does a 45-60 minute nap just seriously not cut it. I know that when I plan to take a nap, I don't see an hour window as a reasonable amount of time to nap but this study says otherwise. Honestly, I can get to a point of sleep deprivation to where I will take a seven hour nap (generally until like midnight) and then be able to get up, do some work, and go to sleep again for the rest of the night. I wonder if taking a short nap during the day would honestly help that much in cases like that.
ReplyDeleteTo be honest, I have never in my life been a fan of naps. When I first read the study that you talked about, I was surprised to see that those who had taken naps had performed better than those who hadn't, since, in my experience, I usually feel more tired after waking up than before taking the nap. Then, in reading about how this is only effective for naps under 40 minutes, I realized that I was the cause of this problem all along. Although I occasionally take naps, they are often much longer than 40 minutes, which is usually the result of staying up too late studying for an exam. I can now understand how short naps can lead to a mental boost, for they allow a short rest for your mind without going into a deeper sleep. I appreciate this post since it is insightful, and I know that it will be helpful for whenever I decide to take a nap again.
ReplyDeleteSimilar to Andy, I don’t like to take naps. The main reason is because when I would take longer naps, I would wake up in a more disoriented and tired state than when I laid down and when I would try to take shorter naps, by the time I was about to fall asleep, my alarm would soon go off. I felt as if I never could find that perfect balance between getting sleep and getting too much. But perhaps I will have to try again soon! Also, you mentioned that the ideal period of a nap is 45 to 60 minutes, but I wonder if this can vary per person. My uncle is a big advocate of the power nap. He can fall asleep whenever and wherever, but he only allows himself to sleep for 15-20 minutes. Yet, he claims to feel refreshed and mentally recharged. Maybe he isn’t optimizing his napping time or maybe he only needs that much time. It will be interested to see more information be revealed about naps as research continues.
ReplyDeleteThis is such an applicable post to so many of us in college! I know that many people's sleep schedules become crazy throughout the school year, and mine is no exception. Therefore, I compensate with the occasional nap. However, I have been doing it wrong all along, as I too would take naps for too long. I think this study is very interesting, and could even have broader implications than just undergrads' sleeping patterns. Physicians, pilots, and others have very stressful jobs and often go on little sleep. Such naps could help keep these professionals on the top of their game, ultimately keeping more people safe and secure, all because of this (and other) studies by the National Sleep Foundation.
ReplyDeleteLike Andy and Maggie, I usually don't like to take naps either. Whenever I try to take a nap, I have a very difficult time falling asleep. On rare occasions, I do fall asleep, but usually feel more tired after I wake up. Therefore, I am a huge supporter of getting around 7-8 hours of sleep every night. A lot of my friends think I'm crazy whenever I go to sleep around 10:30 or 11:00 PM (which doesn't happen as often since I am in college now). I've found that it helps me to feel a lot less stressed, though, and although it is hard to make time, it is so worth it!
ReplyDeleteI can count on one hand the number of naps I have taken this school year. The small amount of them isn't because I'm not tired during the day, it's that once I get in bed, I am usually out for a while. When I wake up, I'm not necessarily more tired than before, but I usually have to get in the shower to jolt myself back into reality, which causes naps to be a very time consuming activity. What I prefer to do is just power through the day and then go to bed early, which makes me feel much better in the morning. This article may convince me to take more naps, which I might start doing in the summer.
ReplyDeleteThis is very interesting. The way I read the article it seemed like the study had the nap group look at the information, take a nap, and then take the test. I wonder what the results would be if another group took a nap first, then studied, then took the test, or if one group studied, took the test, took a nap, and then took a different test over the same material. It would be interesting to see if only naps at certain times help, or if there is a benefit across the board.
ReplyDeletePersonally, I’m also not a huge fan of naps as I am frequently victim to sleep inertia, so I find it more effective to sleep at night for 6-8 hours all in one go. However, after reading this article, I will probably give the famous “power nap” a try! Also, one thing I was wondering as I read this post was why, specifically, is 40 minutes the threshold time of a nap (in other words, taking a nap after this point will lead to more sleep inertia waking up). You mentioned REM sleep in your post, but I also wonder if brain chemistry is somehow altered after 40 minutes, and if so, how?
ReplyDeleteNiket, I think that this simply has to do with the purpose of your nap. I do think that the brain chemistry is altered because naps that last longer than 40 minutes result in REM sleep, which is essential for cognitive memory processing and remembering facts, whereas under 40 minutes is meant for energy and alertness. So, perhaps the activity of the brain that is necessary for forming cognitive memory and remembering things affects other areas of the brain that improve alertness and energy? It's pretty intriguing.
DeleteI am a very new and very big fan of the wonderful nap. I never understood the benefit of them while I was in high school, but now I along with most other college students fully get the benefits that they provide so long as they are used responsibly. So having such a robust knowledge in the field, I find most of these studies to be mere restatements of what is already known, but it is still nice to be able to read the results and understand that I have a good scientific backing in my mid-day naps!
ReplyDeleteI, myself, do not think that I would survive college without naps here and there. Because of homework and other activities, I a lot of times find myself awake at all hours of the night like many other students. The next day, a time slot to nap is something that I really look forward to. Seeing this research discovery has made me feel a lot less guilty because I know that many think that people who take frequent naps are lazy.A very interesting post.
ReplyDeleteAs soon as I saw the title of this article, I knew I had to read it. I am most definitely a napper. I remember ever since I started high school, I used the power nap to my advantage. I remember as a kid, I would hate having to take naps, but now I cherish every time I get to rest my head for ten minutes here or there. Just like Michael, this article gave me peace of mind knowing that I am not as "lazy" as I may seem just because I take naps!
ReplyDeleteI usually go to Langsam to take a nap between my classes and this has become a habit. It's really difficult for me to work/ study whole day without taking a nap. Sometime naps are my main sleep since I usually stay up very late to study for finals and exams! It's undeniable that taking nap is very crucial! Your post is informative and interesting!
ReplyDeleteThis blog post is so interesting because it relates to my daily life. I do not take a nap. However, I always spend 30 to 40 minutes between my morning classes and my evening classes to lie down and close my eyes. I am not actually sleeping. I am just relaxing and resting. I feel better when I get up. I do not think taking naps is a lazy thing to do. I believe that giving your body and your brain some time to rest between your classes is a good thing to do.
ReplyDeleteThis is great news. I have been well known to take naps, between 45 minutes and three hours long (depending on how much time I can swing). For the sleep-deprived semesters of sophomore year, I took naps daily so that I did not need to sleep as much at night. I wonder if this study speaks more to the fact that naps could improve or preserve memory, or if it speak more to the fact that TV/DVDs ruin memory and learning. I would be interested to see data about a control group that simply sat for 45 minutes, doing nothing, versus napping or watching TV.
ReplyDelete