Ask the doc: “Is breaking up sleep time bad if Iâm getting the right number of hours?”
Reading Time: 3 minutes A doctor discusses the health and academic effects when your sleep is âfragmented.â
Reading Time: 3 minutes A doctor discusses the health and academic effects when your sleep is âfragmented.â
Reading Time: 4 minutes Having trouble sleeping? Download one of these three apps to help relax your mind before bed so you can wake up refreshed and ready to start your day.
Reading Time: 3 minutes A doctor discusses how to get to sleep when youâre feeling anxious.
In a 2015 study, participants who napped for an hour in the afternoon were better able to tolerate frustration and less prone to impulsive decision-making compared to the non-nappers, according to the journal Personality and Individual Differences.
A 45- to 60-minute nap reduced the effects of stress in undergraduate students in a 2011 study in the International Journal of Behavioral Medicine. The students recovered from a stressor more quickly than stressed students who didnât nap.
Athletes had quicker reaction times and performed better after a one-hour nap, according to a 2013 study in the Journal of Shangqiu Normal University.
If youâre looking to make all your troubles go away, napping isnât the answer.
âSleep can be a great way to help yourself if youâre sick, but itâs not the best way to cope with tough times,â says Dr. Sharon Sevier, chair of the board of directors of the American School Counselor Association. âWhen youâre asleep, youâre avoiding your problems, but when youâre awake, you can get the support you need from yourself and others.â[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Continue to next question” style=”outline” shape=”round” color=”mulled-wine” size=”xs” align=”center” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-long-arrow-right” css_animation=”appear” add_icon=”true” link=”url:%23section2||”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”entypo” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-moon” title=”Compensate for missed sleep” tab_id=”1489690906375-9c0a301d-a86d” add_icon=”true”][vc_column_text]
Skimping on sleep seriously affects our performanceâand makes us oblivious to just how poorly weâre doing. Thatâs according to a 2003 study in which researchers at the University of Pennsylvania restricted peopleâs sleep. Even as the participants became less able to sustain their attention and succeed at memory tasks, they insisted they had adjusted to the shorter sleep hours, according to the journal Sleep.
If youâre expecting to be up later than usual that night, planned nappingâtaking a nap before you get sleepyâmay help. Remember, though, that all-nighters are highly disruptive to your body and mind. Sleep-deprived cramming is unlikely to help you perform better on tests, research shows.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Continue to next question” style=”outline” shape=”round” color=”mulled-wine” size=”xs” align=”center” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-long-arrow-right” css_animation=”appear” add_icon=”true” link=”url:%23section2|title:Continue%20to%20next%20question|”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”entypo” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-light-up” title=”Make all my troubles go away” tab_id=”1489690906644-f4ecbf90-b8bb” add_icon=”true”][vc_cta h2=”Donât take a nap this time. SORRY. ” h2_font_container=”font_size:25|color:%2350485b|line_height:1″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Ubuntu%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal” txt_align=”center” shape=”round” style=”3d” el_width=”md” add_icon=”bottom” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-thumbs-down” i_color=”white” i_background_style=”rounded” i_background_color=”mulled_wine” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” i_on_border=”true”][/vc_cta][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
This is critical. Sleep-deprived drivers are as dangerous as drunken drivers, according to a study in the journal Nature (1997). Napping improves our alertness and reaction times. Pilots who nap during flights are better at landing planes, according to a classic study in the Journal of Sleep Research.
Pull into a safe, well-lit area, such as a rest stop or restaurant parking lot, and take a 15- to 20-minute nap minute nap, says the National Sleep Foundation.
Long-distance commercial drivers who used caffeinated substances were less likely to crash their vehicles than those who didnât, a 2013 study in The BMJ found. But if youâre really tired, caffeine is not enough. Donât drive.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Continue to next question” style=”outline” shape=”round” color=”mulled-wine” size=”xs” align=”center” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-long-arrow-right” css_animation=”appear” add_icon=”true” link=”url:%23section3|title:Continue%20to%20next%20question|”][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Fortunately, this is probably when you most want to snooze. âThis sleepiness comes from a true physiologic process, because we have a dip in the alerting signal of our circadian rhythm,â says Dr. Shelley Hershner, director of the Collegiate Sleep Disorder Clinic at the University of Michigan (quoted on the graduate school website).
Napping later than 3 p.m., however, could set you up for a wakeful night. Try another way to pick up your energy:
Nap wheel: Whatâs your ideal nap time? [/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Continue to next question” style=”outline” shape=”round” color=”mulled-wine” size=”xs” align=”center” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-long-arrow-right” css_animation=”appear” add_icon=”true” link=”url:%23section4|title:Continue%20to%20next%20question|”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”entypo” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-clock” title=”After 3 p.m.” tab_id=”1489603196493-6fce0dd4-0165″ add_icon=”true”][vc_cta h2=”Donât take a nap this time. SORRY. ” h2_font_container=”font_size:25|color:%2350485b|line_height:1″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Ubuntu%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal” txt_align=”center” shape=”round” style=”3d” el_width=”md” add_icon=”bottom” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-thumbs-down” i_color=”white” i_background_style=”rounded” i_background_color=”mulled_wine” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” i_on_border=”true”][/vc_cta][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
If you donât have time to nap, caffeine might help. Caffeine does not have the same brain benefits as napping, but it makes us feel more physically awake (because napping can induce grogginess), according to a 2008 study in Behavioral Brain Research.Â
But the same time limit applies: Donât consume caffeine after 3 p.m., or you risk your nighttime sleep.
Do you have more than 10 minutes?
The optimal length of a nap is disputed. Check out these options, then see what works for you.
Napping for 10â30 minutes gets you some brain benefits without inducing grogginess, so how do you wake up on time? Some studies have found benefits in âcoffee naps.â If youâre confident you can fall asleep quickly, try drinking a cup of coffee and taking your nap; around 25 minutes in, the caffeine will kick in and wake you. A small study in the journal Ergonomics suggested coffee naps may be more effective for alertness and performance than napping alone.
Some evidence suggests we can nap for up to an hour without feeling that grogginess and inertia. In a 2012 study, naps of 40 and 60 minutes allowed for more slow-wave (deep) sleep and led to bigger performance improvements than 20-minute naps did, according to Chronobiology International.
A typical sleep cycle (incorporating deep sleep and REM sleep) takes about 90 minutes. In studies, naps of 60 or 90 minutes have resulted in greater benefits for visual and memory tasks, compared with shorter naps.
Be wary of napping beyond 90 minutes. If you nap longer, âitâs harder to wake up and leaves you groggy because youâve interrupted a sleep cycle,â says Nancy H. Rothstein, director of corporate sleep programs at Circadian, a workplace performance and safety consultancy based in Massachusetts.[/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=”Continue to next question” style=”outline” shape=”round” color=”mulled-wine” size=”xs” align=”center” i_align=”right” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-long-arrow-right” css_animation=”appear” add_icon=”true” link=”url:%23section5|title:Continue%20to%20next%20question|”][/vc_tta_section][vc_tta_section i_type=”entypo” i_icon_entypo=”entypo-icon entypo-icon-clock” title=”Less than 15 minutes” tab_id=”1489603451687-bced8d6f-6ed3″ add_icon=”true”][vc_cta h2=”Donât take a nap this time. SORRY. ” h2_font_container=”font_size:25|color:%2350485b|line_height:1″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Ubuntu%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal” txt_align=”center” shape=”round” style=”3d” el_width=”md” add_icon=”bottom” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-thumbs-down” i_color=”white” i_background_style=”rounded” i_background_color=”mulled_wine” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” i_on_border=”true”][/vc_cta][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Insomnia is difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep at night, accompanied by daytime exhaustion, that is not explained by lifestyle and behavioral factors. It can be related to stress, transitions, psychiatric conditions, medications, or substance use. Most adults experience insomnia at some point in their lives, according to the Mayo Clinic.
If you are having difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, behavioral changes can help, such as being physically active during the day and avoiding stimulating activities (including screen use) close to bedtime.
If you think you are experiencing insomnia, talk with your health care provider or go to your counseling center. Medication may help in the short term. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a proven treatment for insomnia, and can be effectively delivered in the traditional therapeutic setting or online, according to the Journal of Psychology Research and Behavioral Management (2011).
More about insomnia[/vc_column_text][vc_cta h2=”Donât take a nap this time. SORRY. ” h2_font_container=”font_size:25|color:%2350485b|line_height:1″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Ubuntu%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal” txt_align=”center” shape=”round” style=”3d” el_width=”md” add_icon=”bottom” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-thumbs-down” i_color=”white” i_background_style=”rounded” i_background_color=”mulled_wine” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” i_on_border=”true”][/vc_cta][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]
Bonus! Some colleges provide napping stations for students.[/vc_column_text][vc_cta h2=”Donât take a nap this time. SORRY. ” h2_font_container=”font_size:25|color:%2350485b|line_height:1″ h2_google_fonts=”font_family:Ubuntu%3A300%2C300italic%2Cregular%2Citalic%2C500%2C500italic%2C700%2C700italic|font_style:500%20bold%20regular%3A500%3Anormal” txt_align=”center” shape=”round” style=”3d” el_width=”md” add_icon=”bottom” i_icon_fontawesome=”fa fa-thumbs-down” i_color=”white” i_background_style=”rounded” i_background_color=”mulled_wine” use_custom_fonts_h2=”true” i_on_border=”true”][/vc_cta][/vc_tta_section][/vc_tta_accordion][vc_empty_space height=”25px”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_column][/vc_column]
Shelley Hershner, MD, director, Collegiate Sleep Disorder Clinic, University of Michigan.
Nancy H. Rothstein, director, corporate sleep programs, Circadian, Massachusetts.
Sharon Sevier, PhD, chair, board of directors, American School Counselor Association.
Ackerman, J., & Zarracina, J. (n.d.). How to nap. [Infographic]. Boston Globe. Retrieved from: https://www.boston.com/bostonglobe/ideas/naps/
American College Health Association. (Spring 2014). National College Health Assessment. Retrieved from https://www.acha-ncha.org/docs/ACHA-NCHA-II_ReferenceGroup_ExecutiveSummary_Spring2014.pdf
Anwar, Y. (2010). An afternoon nap markedly boosts the brain’s learning capacity. Berkeley News. Retrieved from https://news.berkeley.edu/2010/02/22/naps_boost_learning_capacity/
Bonnet, M. H., & Arand, D. L. (1994). The use of prophylactic naps and caffeine to maintain performance during a continuous operation. Ergonomics, 37(6), 1009â1020.
BorbÃĐly, A. (1982). A two-process model of sleep regulation. Human Neurobiology, 1(3), 195â204.
Brindle, R. C., & Conklin, S. (2012). Daytime sleep accelerates cardiovascular recovery after psychological stress. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 19(1), 111â114.
Dawson, D., & Reid, K. (1997). Fatigue, alcohol, and performance impairment. Nature, 388, 235.
Eliasson, A. H., Lettieri, C. J., & Eliasson, A. H. (2010). Early to bed, early to rise! Sleep habits and academic performance in college students. Sleep and Breathing, 14(1), 71â75.
Fenn, K. M., Nusbaum, H. C., & Margoliash, D. (2003). Consolidation during sleep of perceptual learning of spoken language. Nature, 425(6958), 614â616.
Goldschmied, J. R., Cheng, P., Kemp, K., Caccamo, L., et al. (2015). Napping to modulate frustration and impulsivity: A pilot study. Personality and Individual Differences, 86, 164â167.
Hershner, S. (2014). How to nap. University of Michigan. Retrieved from https://www.rackham.umich.edu/blog/how-nap
Hershner, S. (2014). Why you should nap. University of Michigan. Retrieved from https://www.rackham.umich.edu/blog/why-you-should-nap
Jamieson-Petonic, A. (2013). 5 ways to fight fatigue with food. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved from https://health.clevelandclinic.org/2013/05/5-ways-to-fight-fatigue-with-food/
Lahl, O., Wispel, C., Willigens, B., & Pietrowsky, R. (2008). An ultra-short episode of sleep is sufficient to promote declarative memory performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 17(1), 3â10.
Lo, J. C., Dijk, D. J., & Groeger, J. A. (2014). Comparing the effects of nocturnal sleep and daytime napping on declarative memory consolidation. PLoS ONE, 9(9).
Mayo Clinic. (November 21, 2012). Napping: Do’s and don’ts for healthy adults. Retrieved from: https://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/adult-health/in-depth/napping/art-20048319
Mayo Clinic. (2014). Insomnia. Retrieved from https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/insomnia/basics/definition/con-20024293
Mednick, S. C., Cai, D. J., Kanady, J., & Drummond, S. (2008). Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps, and placebo on verbal, motor, and perceptual memory. Behavioral Brain Research, 193(1), 79â86.
Mulrine, H. M., Signal, T. L., van den Berg, M. J., & Gander, P. H. (2012). Post-sleep inertia performance benefits of longer naps in simulated nightwork and extended operations. Chronobiology International, 29(9), 1249â1257.
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Rosekind, M. R., Smith, R. M., Miller, D. L., Co, E. L., et al. (1995). Alertness management: Strategic naps in operational settings. Journal of Sleep Research, 4(S2), 62â66.
Sharwood, L., Elkington, J., Meuleners, L., Ivers, R., et al. (2013). Use of caffeinated substances and risk of crashes in long-distance drivers of commercial vehicles: Case-control study. British Medical Journal, 346.
Siebern, A. T., & Manber, R. (2011). New developments in cognitive behavioral therapy as the first-line treatment of insomnia. Journal of Psychology Research and Behavioral Management, 4, 21â28.
Tietzel, A. J., & Lack, L. C. (2002). The recuperative value of brief and ultra-brief naps on alertness and cognitive performance. Journal of Sleep Research, 11(3), 213â218.
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Vishal Kummetha,
second-year graduate student, University of Kansas
âIf you canât jump out of bed in the morning (e.g., most people?), this app is for you. Itâs a creative alarm system that requires you to be alert before you can turn off the sound. Choose from having to answer math questions, take pictures of objects or places, shake the phone, and others. My choice to cancel the alarm was to take a picture of the sink, which worked super well. Once I fumbled to take the picture, there was nothing else to do but brush my teeth and get ready for the day.â
Useful?
Who doesnât go through phases of extreme workloads or plain old burnout in college? This app will get you up and out of the comfortable bed that we all cherish, so you can submit that project on time or not be late to class.
Fun?
Eh, itâs sort of a fun way to start your day. However, I admit I seriously considered breaking my phone to stop the sound.
Effective?
This is one of the most effective apps Iâve ever used to get out of bed. I canât see how anyone with normal hearing could continue sleeping through this alarm. I felt both enraged and full of adrenaline, making it impossible to go back to bed after waking up.