Work

P064 Does napping help or hurt? Investigating individuals attending sleep clinics

Year: 2025

Type: conference-abstract

Abstract: Introduction Napping can improve sleepiness, attention and memory in healthy individuals. These effects may not translate to individuals with sleep disorders. This study aims to examine the associations between napping and daytime sleepiness, fatigue, and depressive symptoms in individuals seeking treatment for sleep problems. Methods Pre-treatment, 2226 participants attending two sleep clinics (Age M ± SD = 44.28 ± 16.36 years, 51.12% female) self-reported average daily frequency and duration of naps over the past month, and completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale, Fatigue Severity Scale, and PROMIS Depression questionnaires. Results 64.3% participants reported having regularly napped, for a total of 50.67 (SD = 43.49) minutes daily. Multiple regression analyses controlling for total nighttime sleep, sex, age and caffeine intake, showed that individuals who napped experienced significantly higher levels of depression (p=.026), fatigue (p<.001), and sleepiness (p<.001), than individuals who did not. Longer nap duration was associated with greater depression (p=.001) and fatigue severity (p=.002), but not with sleepiness. Compared to napping once a month, more frequent napping was associated with greater levels of sleepiness (> once a week), fatigue (≥ five times a week), and depression severity (> 15 times a week). Discussion In individuals with sleep complaints, more frequent and longer napping is associated with worse daytime sleepiness, fatigue and symptoms of depression. Further research is needed to delineate the causes and consequences of napping behaviours, as well as examine the associations between napping and different sleep and psychiatric disorders.

Source: SLEEP Advances

DOI: 10.1093/sleepadvances/zpaf053.124