Despite the fact that we all need a proper night’s sleep to be at our best, many of us treat sleep as a luxury. However, experts recommend the average adult to get seven to nine hours of sleep a night. As people get older, their sleep becomes shorter, lighter and more fragmented. Richard Hawksworth, a Respiratory Physiologist in Tallaght Hospital’s sleep laboratory, says that, for many reasons, older people may not get enough refreshing sleep. Restless legs, sleep apnoea or medications may prevent them from getting the deep sleep they need to recharge each night.

The National Sleep Foundation in the United States says that, although older people may wake more frequently through the night and may actually get less night-time sleep, their need for sleep is no less than younger adults. Because older people may sleep less during the night, naps as part of a regular daily routine can be “useful in promoting wakefulness”.

Napping can have negative connotations but William C Dement, in his book The Promise of Sleep, is a proponent of naps. Dement has spent his career researching sleep disorders and the impact of sleep deprivation on a person. He is also the founder of the world’s first sleep laboratory. Dement believes that napping can make you smarter, faster and safer than you would be without it. Albert Einstein and Winston Churchill, who are well-known nappers, haven’t done too badly from regularly taking siestas.

When someone’s sleep is negatively affected for a period of time, they build up a sleep debt. This debt needs to be paid back for them to function optimally. Ignoring this debt can have serious consequences. However, napping is a way of keeping this debt in check.

A sleep debt that is caused by late nights or early mornings is not to be confused by excessive sleepiness. Dan Smyth, chairman of the Irish Sleep Apnoea Trust, believes that excessive daytime sleepiness can be a symptom of an underlying medical problem. He advises that, if sleep is affected negatively for an extended period of time, it is best to check with your GP for any causes.

Sleep deprivation can cause stress and irritability but it can also place the tired person and others around them in danger. The European Transport Safety Council (ETSC) states that driver fatigue is conservatively estimated to be a factor in about 20 per cent of road crashes in Europe.

When you are feeling over worked or drowsy, a 10-minute snooze can improve your alertness. Hawksworth says that napping is not a substitute for a good night’s sleep but can be a stress reliever and can act as a mini-revival that helps you to function better through the day. Napping can also help you feel more energised and can improve the performance of tasks.

Not only can napping help you to feel awake and improve your mood, it is also good for your heart. A paper on siesta in healthy adults and coronary mortality from the Department of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Greece, found that sleeping for an average of 30 minutes a day can dramatically improve your heart’s health. Adults who napped for at least half an hour, three times a week or more, had a 37 per cent lower risk of coronary mortality than those who did not sleep during the day. Pretty remarkable results and, lest you forget it, you can improve your memory while napping too.

A study into sleep and performance by the Institute of Experimental Psychology at the University of Düsseldorf in Germany proved that napping, even for a short time, is sufficient to promote memory performance. The study found that 30 minutes of daytime napping significantly enhances memory performance and even a six-minute nap is sufficient to significantly boost memory.

So rest easy and guilt free, safe in the knowledge that you are sleeping smart by napping. It is probably the easiest way to take care of your health so now you have every reason to snooze your afternoons away.


Top tips for napping

• Avoid alcohol, caffeine and exercise just before you nap
• Plan on a nap of just 20-30 minutes – you can nap for longer if you feel you need an extra boost
• Turn your mobile phone off or put it on silent
• Lie down on a supportive mattress in a darkened room with a comfortable temperature
• Don’t be tempted to clock watch; set your alarm to wake you up
• Relax and think of tranquil imagery until you slowly drift away