Afternoon naps are refreshing — but could they be messing up our sleep cycles? Sleep scientist Matt Walker reveals the pros and cons of napping, plus tips on how to get the most out of your next short snooze.
Sleep — we spend one-third of our lives doing it, but what exactly do we get out of it? And how can we do it better? In this TED series, sleep scientist Matt Walker uncovers the facts and secrets behind our nightly slumber. (Made possible with the support of Oura) Check out more episodes on TED.com:
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seeyafornow
November 17, 2021 at 6:47 pm
most people I know nap in the noon but I never can, I don’t feel enough sleepy or can’t sleep at night. I also prefer working or laying down and read or watch something rather than nap. but the rare days I nap on are so awesome haha.
Obsession of the Month
November 17, 2021 at 6:52 pm
“designed” you mean evolved.
Axe M.
November 17, 2021 at 7:08 pm
I can’t sleep at night if I sleep even 15 mins.
Radio PNL
November 17, 2021 at 7:09 pm
always is good! 😄😄😄
Shefali C
November 17, 2021 at 7:13 pm
I can nap in the afternoon for hours and still fall asleep easily at night what planet am I from??
Cool Dog
November 17, 2021 at 7:15 pm
I get 11 hrs then 2hrs nap
Jeffrey Abbey
November 17, 2021 at 7:30 pm
Love naps
amanda tysiac
November 17, 2021 at 7:31 pm
I’m laying down for one now. Was lookiNg for ASMR. Then I see this 😳
John Petan
November 17, 2021 at 7:50 pm
That’s a load of nonsense, it just depends on the individual. You can’t put everyone in the same box lol sigh
For example, most nights i sleep from around 11pm or midnight for 4-6hrs, it feels like very good quality sleep, because i wake up feeling very well rested.
I then stay up for between 60-120 mins, mostly watching YouTube travel video blogs OR things of interest, education or humorous.
After this short period, i start to feel sleepy again & i go back to sleep with ear plugs because of outside traffic noise, and i usually sleep for between 90-180 mins
Then I’m good to be awake, out of bed, feeling energized for the next 12hrs, until i repeat the cycle.
That’s my daily routine
I avg in total between 6-9hrs of good quality sleep every 24hr cycle
I’m typically in my bedroom 12hrs a day, when not sleeping, reading, watching YouTube or a tv show on Netflix etc
But take into consideration that I’m 57 & semi retired. I only work 4 days a wk for 4-5hrs a day, and although my day is technically only 12hrs, I’m functional & alert the entire time.
In conclusion, i think like eating, that you should only eat or sleep when u actually feel hungry or tired.
Your body is yours to manage & only you know best how your body functions. Sleeping like eating, is an individual thing.
No 2 people have the exact same lifestyle or behavioral pattern, so of course that means we will all require different sleep management styles.
O _
November 17, 2021 at 7:58 pm
I recognize your voice! It’s amazing
Private Citizen
November 17, 2021 at 8:40 pm
I think everybody has their own sleep rythmn. I nap a couple of times a day, totally 5-6 hrs a day. It’s not always at the same time, as I work nights and sometimes have errands to run. As we get older, we need less sleep (the last time I checked, but I have PLENTY been wrong before!)
Umair
November 17, 2021 at 8:43 pm
In Islam, Muslims are encouraged to stay awake after the Fajr prayer, which at the moment in the winter, is around 6 am. In summer it’s around 4 am. Then the go out and work until mid day and pray the Afternoon prayer. And then the Arabs would commonly take a nap between ‘Dhuhr’ and ‘Asr’, and then they are encouraged to sleep after The final prayer called Isha, which is a few hours after sunset.
walperstyle
November 17, 2021 at 9:18 pm
Weak People, looking for an excuse.
Liza Smith
November 17, 2021 at 9:19 pm
Bullsh**
mindlesstube
November 17, 2021 at 9:20 pm
Studies also show cryohydrates make you sleeping and every one eats them at lunch why people sleepy in the afternoon.
Justin McGonigle
November 17, 2021 at 9:34 pm
Yes
Frank Feng
November 17, 2021 at 9:50 pm
It depends on school schedule. Most western countries finish school early whereas Asian countries finish school at 5PM and have mandatory night study.
Alberto
November 17, 2021 at 10:11 pm
I alwais sleep 1 hour after lunch (if I can) everyday since i was a kid,it is FANTASTIC for your wellbeing
Semjes Nip
November 17, 2021 at 10:45 pm
This video is counter intuitive…. Naps are not meant to be taken before the long sleep, as snacks are not meant to be eaten before a meal.
R
November 17, 2021 at 10:53 pm
“May have been”…. It’s always what these things say. What you eat for lunch plays a HUGE part of how drowsy you feel after it.
Ken Belangel
November 17, 2021 at 11:41 pm
For me I hated waking up after a long nap. It felt so nauseating having to get up
Nia Lucky
November 18, 2021 at 12:53 am
The thing is if I hold myself from napping, I’ll be to tired then it becomes very hard to sleep at night.
Nia Lucky
November 18, 2021 at 12:54 am
The thing is if I hold myself from napping, I’ll be too tired then it becomes very hard to sleep at night. Everyone is different, just do things that feel right for you.
Leigh Jackson
November 18, 2021 at 1:01 am
i have to have an afternoon sleep
Justin Smith
November 18, 2021 at 1:22 am
what am i supposed to do with a 20 minute nap
Aditi Sharma
November 18, 2021 at 3:55 am
I don’t know what is fundamentally wrong with me.
Somedays I sleep for 2 hours and somedays for 12.
If I follow normal sleep routine i.e. 6-7 hours at night then I have to take nap for like 2 hours in the day. I don’t know why but the nap during the day can’t be any shorter than this.
Please help me.
I am pursuing for CHARTERED ACCOUNTANCY and I have exams soon. 🙂
nozuonody
November 18, 2021 at 4:36 am
20 minutes ahhhahah mine are 1h min
Mikhail Kh
November 18, 2021 at 5:51 am
Twice a year I had to travel cross country, 1500 km in single batch.
It tooks about 18 hours. And last 300 km was realy hard couse of sleepenes.
At some point I have to stop and get nap.
But then I found out about visceral theory of sleep (dreams).
In two words – during a sleep your brain still produce a lot of activities. But what it does?
Anyway, as a conclusion – I change my trawel diet, and surprisingly forgot about this issue. And it not just me, but anyone who I share this diet.
And it realy simple – eat simple things(fruits and vegetables) and drink pure water.
So your nap felling after lunch is strongly connected on what you actually eating.
muffins4tots
November 18, 2021 at 6:00 am
I wish I could nap for 20-30 minutes
If I fall asleep it’s at least 2-3 hours
blueconversechucks
November 18, 2021 at 6:27 am
I love all my naps equally.
Daniel Wilson
November 18, 2021 at 6:28 am
I saw this content on one book last year , they mentioned that lunch is not the reason for your tired, because of something like biological clock that will make people sleepy. But we know that when we have a big lunch or meal, we are sleepy. Agree me please ‘like’ my this comment thanks
Timothy OBrien
November 18, 2021 at 6:33 am
I am trying to nap..
あいうえお
November 18, 2021 at 7:42 am
なるほどね、完璧に理解した。
でも一応、日本語字幕もあると良いかもね
俺は理解できるけどね。ほんとだよ？
ぜひ、日本語字幕も付けて下さい。
Alyssa Fundal
November 18, 2021 at 9:09 am
Watching this at 1AM because I can’t sleep after napping for 2 hours beforehand 😐
Adylaa R
November 18, 2021 at 10:00 am
If i fight my afternoon nap, i seem to find myself awake through 1 am.
87swoosh
November 18, 2021 at 10:06 am
I came here for an answer , now I leave confused.
Mo
November 18, 2021 at 10:56 am
I just slept 2 hours 15 minutes this afternoon 😭
F L U X
November 18, 2021 at 11:05 am
I like how you replaced “designed” with “programmed.” and thanks.
Susie M.
November 18, 2021 at 1:04 pm
I had a lot of things to do today, but you know what I did instead ?
Azaz Ahmed
November 18, 2021 at 2:24 pm
Napping is SUNNAH
Yoga Kusuma
November 18, 2021 at 2:51 pm
follow Rasulullah time of nap for the best sleep cycle…
Meisar Wantasen
November 18, 2021 at 2:59 pm
i used to sleep at 6.40 PM and then i wake up on 9 M. In the last night i struggling for a sleep, so i decided to dont sleep before 10 PM
Positive You
November 18, 2021 at 4:02 pm
I get up early 6/630 am — and sleep at 10/11pm — I tried having nap in the afternoon but it really didn’t help me at all and I felt sick and lethargic So naps are no more
worningmood
November 18, 2021 at 4:29 pm
Thanks for TED!
Regular Fern
November 18, 2021 at 5:40 pm
I’m lucky if I get 3 hours at night because of the pills I take, but If I don’t take them I lay in bed all day 😛
Hritik yadav
November 18, 2021 at 6:03 pm
Modi ji sleep 3 hrs only
Bee
November 18, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Can’t wait until the workplace adopts this idea
Mayson
November 18, 2021 at 9:20 pm
I nap a hour in the evening
Sanskar Kharya
November 18, 2021 at 11:05 pm
I Just wake up after a nap!!
C GB
November 19, 2021 at 1:23 am
Are naps actually good for us? Sleeping with science
I see what you did there
Henry1307 Vu
November 19, 2021 at 3:43 am
Sus
Vexivero
November 19, 2021 at 10:57 am
Watching this at 4AM..yeah I’m gonna need a nap today
xmido
November 19, 2021 at 4:31 pm
It takes me more than 20 mins to go to sleep.
بشر bishir
November 19, 2021 at 8:04 pm
When I take a nap I actually at least take 3 hours is some like me
Inazuma65
November 19, 2021 at 8:53 pm
A 6 hour sleep at night, and a 20-30 minute nap around the middle of the day is what I figured out to be best. Nice to see this video back it up.
Felicia Leonte
November 19, 2021 at 9:45 pm
Napping has always been my best medicine.
Ana Herrera
November 20, 2021 at 1:39 am
Just woke. Slept in 😁
Yep, I do take POWER naps … as nded. 🙂
JeffinBville
November 20, 2021 at 3:00 am
Twenty-minutes late in the afternoon is sweet.
Marco Tigno
November 20, 2021 at 9:59 am
He’s making me sleepy; not because he’s boring, but because his voice is so relaxing.
Invox
November 20, 2021 at 4:29 pm
I live in an old apartement building and with everyone at hope since the pandemic, multiple schedules from the neighbours, plus multiple noises, really made me have bad sleep (to a point I’ve even become paranoid I’m actually listening to noises all through the night). With that, naps have become crucial to rest and get any form of relaxation done so I can get through the day.
Mariem Soudy
November 20, 2021 at 9:16 pm
اللهم صلي وسلم وبارك علي سيدنا محمد
(ما ينطق عن الهوى )
Ching Wu
November 21, 2021 at 5:41 am
Our brains are designed to sleep between 1 and 4 pm. Okay great! Gonna tell my boss🤣
Bamboo
November 21, 2021 at 6:03 am
I just woke up from my nap 🥳 I always take a nap after lunch and for me, it’s a best choice 😆
Joshua Willis
November 21, 2021 at 10:40 am
nah most people just got narcolepsy from eating a carby meal for lunch
Steve D
November 21, 2021 at 10:56 am
Missing my after lunch nap now I’m back in the office regularly 😕
tunas efe
November 22, 2021 at 3:13 am
ı am sleeping in the lessons. it feels good.
No one star
November 22, 2021 at 8:26 am
I haven’t slept well in 30+ years. Nothing seems to help (obviously).
Melatonin supplements only help if I take the 20mg ones, and, in the past, I had to take like 6 of the 2-4mg ones to have any true effect.
Still, it’s become progressively worse. 😓 Tried SO many other things. Bummer, too. I’d like to know what true sleep feels like.
Craken, The
November 22, 2021 at 9:12 am
What if our brains drop in alertness in the afternoon due to it being the hottest time of day considering we evolved in Africa.
And considering Africa was mostly comprised of predators that prefer not to hunt in the blazing heat our ancestors could afford time to relax and conserve energy for the evening when it cooled down?
Hoang Minh Cao
November 23, 2021 at 6:01 am
In Vietnam we call it “ngủ trưa”, which literally means afternoon sleep
Salt Sister
November 23, 2021 at 1:47 pm
Anything I see about sleep on here my reaction is “oh no that sucks” and then keep doing whatever feels natural to me. Most people under late stage capitalism cannot afford to think about sleep schedules let alone try to fix them.
Sam Elliott
November 23, 2021 at 10:43 pm
Sick
Nomthi Xulu
November 23, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Yeah I don’t nap after 3pm cos I’ll struggle to sleep.