A nap is a short period of time in which you rest. It’s usually taken during the day and lasts for 20-90 minutes. Napping can have many benefits, such as improved memory, alertness, and stress relief. Some people find napping helpful as a way to get through the afternoon slump that occurs after peak cognitive performance levels in the morning. In this blog post, we explore why naps give some people headaches and how they can be overcome.
Why Do Naps Give Me Headaches?
Naps are a good way to relax, but they may cause headaches for some people. The reason that naps give some people headaches is that they disrupt the normal cycle of sleep. When you take a nap, your body does not get the chance to complete the entire sleep cycle (from deep sleep through REM, or rapid eye movement sleep). This can lead to an interruption in the natural sleep cycle and increased arousal during wakefulness. Naps also have many negative side effects, such as feeling groggy and tired later in the day and a reduction in nighttime melatonin production.
What Causes Napping Headaches?
1. Napping disrupts the sleep cycle
Naps may give you a headache because they interrupt the normal sleep cycle and lead to increased arousal during wakefulness.
2. Naps reduce nighttime melatonin production
Naps can decrease nighttime melatonin production, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and drowsiness during the day.
3. Naps may cause grogginess in the afternoon (afternoon slump)
Napping in the afternoon can cause a “post-nap slump” where you feel groggy and tired after waking up from your nap, especially if you nap too long or too close to your normal wake time for an afternoon nap. This is often followed by a period of feeling alert and refreshed before you fall back into your normal sleep pattern later in the evening.
4. Naps affect memory consolidation and alertness during learning tasks post-nap (even if it’s only 20 minutes)
Naps have been found to affect memory consolidation and alertness during learning tasks, even if they are only 20 minutes long. This means that you may be more tired and less mentally sharp after taking a nap than before.
5. Naps can cause sleepiness and fatigue during the day
After a nap, you may feel sleepier in the afternoon, which can make it harder to stay awake during the day and make it more difficult to get through your daily activities.
6. Naps disrupt sleep cycles (no longer follow a normal pattern)
Napping for too long or too close to your normal wake time for an afternoon nap can disrupt your normal sleep cycle, causing you to wake up later than usual in the morning and feel groggy when waking up from your nap.
7. Napping can cause fatigue throughout the day (even if it’s only 20 minutes)
After a nap, you may still be tired in the afternoon round to affect the ability to consolidate long-term memory and the ability to stay alert during learning tasks. In one study, participants were given a test that required them to learn and then recall information learned prior to napping. The results showed that participants were able to retain more information after napping than after a rest period.
8. Naps are not a good idea during the day if you have an illness or are trying to sleep
Naps may be helpful for some people, but they can be dangerous for people with illnesses or insomnia trying to get restful sleep. If you have any sleep disturbances, including insomnia or an illness, it’s best not to nap during the day as this can lead to further problems such as difficulty falling asleep at night (or even waking up at night).
9. Napping makes it harder for others in your household who need their sleep
If you are taking a nap while your partner is trying hardbound to affect memory consolidation and alertness during learning tasks, even if you only nap for 20 minutes. The effects of napping on memory consolidation are most likely due to the fact that napping prevents you from falling into deep sleep or REM sleep, which is where most of the brain is active during sleep.
10. Naps can reduce nighttime melatonin levels, leading to grogginess during the day
Naps can cause a reduction in nighttime melatonin levels and grogginess that occurs after waking up from a nap.
Types Of Headaches That Come With Napping
1. Naps decrease the effectiveness of nighttime sleep for the next night
Some people find that naps reduce their ability to fall asleep at night and interfere with their ability to get a good night’s rest the following night.
2. Naps interfere with normal sleep habits (sleeping in on weekends, sleeping in on weeknights)
If you have trouble sleeping at night, napping during the day may be interfering with your normal sleep habits.
3. Naps may cause grogginess or a feeling of being tired later in the day and evening
Napping can cause feelings of grogginess or tiredness later in the day or evening if you nap too long or too close to your normal wake-up time for around to affect memory consolidation and alertness in some people.
4. Naps decrease nighttime melatonin production
Naps can decrease nighttime melatonin production, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and drowsiness during the day.
5. Naps affect sleep quality in the evening
Napping can cause a disruption in the normal sleep cycle and make it difficult for you to fall asleep at night. This is especially true if you nap too long or too close to your normal wake time for an afternoon nap.
6. Naps increase REM sleep (rapid eye movement) during REM sleep deprivation
Naps can increase REM sleep during REM sleep deprivation (when you only get 4-5 hours of sleep per night). This may be a problem if you are trying to reduce your insomnia or other sleeping problems such as insomnia on the later side of your circadian rhythm (for example, between 3-4 AM or after midnight).
Tips To Reduce The Chance Of A Headache After Napping
round to have a negative effect on memory consolidation and alertness during learning tasks after the nap. This is because napping increases sleep inertia and decreases performance in the post-nap period.
Naps reduce the “sleep drive” or motivation to stay awake
Napping may decrease your sleep drive or motivation to stay awake during the day. This can be problematic if you’re trying to perform a task that requires you to stay awake, like taking a test, driving, or working on something important at work.
Naps reduce nighttime melatonin production
Naps can decrease nighttime melatonin production, which can lead to feelings of fatigue and drowsiness during the day.
Naps affect your body’s temperature regulation (from waking up too cold)
Waking up from a nap can make you feel cold if it is too early in the morning for your body temperature to warm pound to slow down the rate at which memories are consolidated, leading to lower recall performance after a nap. This is especially true for naps of longer than 20 minutes, which can even hinder memory consolidation in children and adolescents.
Naps affect alertness during learning tasks post-nap (even if it’s only 20 minutes)
Naps have been found to increase alertness after a nap, especially in individuals who are not normally sleepy during the day. This leads to difficulty staying awake during tasks requiring higher levels of attention and concentration after a nap.
Naps increase sleep inertia (the feeling of grogginess that occurs when you wake up from a nap)
Napping also increases sleep inertia by decreasing the amount of time it takes for your brain to become fully awake. This makes it harder for you to fall asleep again if you wake up from your nap too early and are unable to return to sleep quickly enough before you feel and affects memory consolidation and alertness during learning tasks post-nap (even if it’s only 20 minutes). This is likely due to the fact that naps increase slow-wave sleep, which is important for memory consolidation.
Naps can reduce daytime alertness and performance
Napping during the day can reduce daytime alertness and cause a “post-nap slump” where you feel tired and groggy after waking from a nap. This is often followed by feeling refreshed later in the day.
Summing Up
Headaches after napping are not a normal occurrence. They are a sign that something has gone wrong in terms of the way you took your nap (or the period you were awake before the nap). While most people can nap without triggering a headache, for those who have a headache, it’s important to identify the cause. From there, you can work to either avoid triggering the headache or mitigate it once it’s begun.
