Do Afternoon Naps Affect Nighttime Sleep in Athletes?
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Student athletes often juggle heavy training schedules with classes and social life. All of this can lead to less sleep at night. Napping during the day is one strategy many athletes use to recover and boost performance. But there's a common concern—could a nap in the afternoon make it harder to sleep at night?
A new study from La Trobe University in Australia explored this very question. The researchers looked at how short (25 minutes) and longer (90 minutes) afternoon naps affect nighttime sleep in student athletes.
The Study Setup
The researchers recruited 14 student athletes who regularly trained and took naps. Each participant experienced three different conditions on separate days:
- No nap at all
- A 25-minute nap ending at 3:00 p.m.
- A 90-minute nap ending at 3:00 p.m.
After each condition, the athletes went home and wore sleep trackers overnight to measure how well they slept.
What the Study Found
The good news for nap lovers is that neither the short nor the long naps disrupted nighttime sleep. The amount of time they spent asleep, the quality of that sleep, and when they went to bed and woke up were all similar no matter which nap they took earlier in the day.
Here are some average sleep times:
- No nap: 7 hours 13 minutes of sleep
- 25-minute nap: 7 hours 5 minutes
- 90-minute nap: 7 hours 1 minute
There was no significant difference in light sleep, deep sleep, or REM (dream) sleep between the nap and no-nap days.
Why Timing Matters
One key detail is that all naps ended by 3:00 p.m. This is important because late naps—especially those after 6:00 p.m.—are more likely to interfere with nighttime sleep. By keeping naps earlier in the day, the athletes avoided disrupting their natural sleep rhythms.
Also, the 90-minute nap allowed for deeper stages of sleep, including REM and deep sleep, which are important for recovery. Even so, this deeper nap didn’t harm nighttime rest.
Practical Advice for Athletes
If you’re a student athlete or someone with a busy schedule, here’s what this study suggests:
- Early is better: If you plan to nap, try to finish it by mid-afternoon (around 3:00 p.m.).
- Short or long can work: Whether you have just 25 minutes or can manage a full 90 minutes, both options are useful and unlikely to mess with your nighttime sleep.
- Listen to your body: Not everyone reacts the same way to naps. Some people may feel groggy after a long nap, while others wake up refreshed.
- Avoid naps too late: Napping in the evening can make it harder to fall asleep at night.
Should Everyone Nap?
Not necessarily. The athletes in the study were habitual nappers and had adapted to this routine. If you’re not used to napping, it might take some trial and error to find what works for you. Also, if you’re already sleeping well at night, regular naps may not be necessary.
Final Thoughts
This study supports the idea that well-timed naps can be a helpful tool for student athletes without harming their night’s rest. Whether you’re training hard or just feeling the midday slump, a short nap could give your body and mind the reset it needs—without keeping you up at night.
As always, listen to your body, track how you feel, and adjust your sleep habits to support your performance and recovery.