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Power NapEvidence & Dosage

10–20 min as an energy boost; longer naps can disrupt sleep.

Studies last updated

Evidence at a glance

Total studies
240
With abstract
50
Meta / Systematic / RCT
91
Highly cited
50
Publication years
1977–2026

Power Nap in the context of Recovery

This topic is part of our "Recovery" world. There you'll find methodology, evidence and the highest-impact levers — plus the order in which they sensibly build on each other.

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Top studies on Power Nap

Ranked by influential-citation count and publication year.

  1. The Impact of Daytime Napping Following Normal Night-Time Sleep on Physical Performance: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis and Meta-regression.

    Sports Med2024n=1,210Meta-Analysis100 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Daytime napping is used by athletes as a strategy to supplement night time sleep and aid physical performance. However, no meta-analytical overview regarding the impact of napping following a night of normal sleep (7-9…

  2. Is daytime napping an effective strategy to improve sport-related cognitive and physical performance and reduce fatigue? A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.

    Br J Sports Med2023n=291Meta-Analysis80 influential citations

    Objective To estimate the association between daytime napping and cognitive and physical sport performance and fatigue after normal sleep and partial sleep deprivation (less sleep duration than necessary). Design Systematic review and…

  3. Effects of napping on sleepiness and sleep-related performance deficits in night-shift workers: a systematic review.

    Biol Res Nurs2014Systematic Review62 influential citations

    Night-shift workers are prone to sleep deprivation, misalignment of circadian rhythms, and subsequent sleepiness and sleep-related performance deficits. The purpose of this narrative systematic review is to critically review and synthesize…

  4. Benefits of Daytime Napping Opportunity on Physical and Cognitive Performances in Physically Active Participants: A Systematic Review.

    Sports Med2021n=326Systematic Review55 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Evidence suggests that athletes often experience chronic sleep disturbance. Napping is widely recommended as a safe and non-invasive intervention to counteract the negative effects of partial sleep deprivation. However,…

  5. Effects of Napping During Shift Work on Sleepiness and Performance in Emergency Medical Services Personnel and Similar Shift Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Prehosp Emerg Care2018n=13Meta-Analysis54 influential citations

    <h4>Background</h4>Scheduled napping during work shifts may be an effective way to mitigate fatigue-related risk. This study aimed to critically review and synthesize existing literature on the impact of scheduled naps on fatigue-related…

  6. Influence of mid-afternoon nap duration and sleep parameters on memory encoding, mood, processing speed, and vigilance.

    Sleep2023RCT54 influential citations

    Study Objectives To determine how mid-afternoon naps of differing durations benefit memory encoding, vigilance, speed of processing (SOP), mood, and sleepiness; to evaluate if these benefits extend past 3 hr post-awakening and to examine…

  7. A brief afternoon nap following nocturnal sleep restriction: which nap duration is most recuperative?

    Sleep2006E53 influential citations

    The purposes of this study were to compare the benefits of different length naps relative to no nap and to analyze the electroencephalographic elements that may account for the benefits. A repeated-measures design included 5 experimental…

  8. Racial disparities and sleep among preschool aged children: a systematic review.

    Sleep Health2019Systematic Review53 influential citations

    Sleep disorders and sleep insufficiency are common among preschool-aged children. Studies among school-aged children show disordered sleep is often more prevalent among racial minority groups. The primary aim of this systematic review was…

  9. Effects of a Short Daytime Nap on the Cognitive Performance: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

    Int J Environ Res Public Health2021n=381meta53 influential citations

    BACKGROUND: Napping in the workplace is under debate, with interesting results on work efficiency and well-being of workers. In this systematic review and meta-analysis, we aimed to assess the benefits of a short daytime nap on cognitive…

    Finding: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, daytime napping in the afternoon improved overall cognitive performance compared with no nap.

  10. Frequent napping is associated with excessive daytime sleepiness, depression, pain, and nocturia in older adults: findings from the National Sleep Foundation '2003 Sleep in America' Poll.

    The American journal of geriatric psychiatry : official journal of the American Association for Geriatric Psychiatry2007n=1,50652 influential citations

    <h4>Objective</h4>The objective of this study was to describe the prevalence and correlates of regular napping among older adults.<h4>Methods</h4>The National Sleep Foundation's "2003 Sleep in America Poll," a 20-minute telephone interview…

Frequently asked

What dosage was studied?
• daytime napping following normal night-time sleep • daytime napping
Which population does the evidence apply to?
Most studies investigated: unknown.
Are there safety considerations for Power Nap?
• Not reported in abstract • No adverse events were reported in the excerpt.

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