When a lack of sleep has you feeling exhausted in the afternoon, you’ll probably want to take a nap to refresh your energy. This sounds like a good idea on paper, but in many cases, napping could actually be more detrimental than helpful – especially if you’re already suffering from a sleep disorder. Napping and sleep apnea are far from an ideal combination; in this post, you can learn more about the different factors you’ll need to consider before getting some shut-eye during the day.
Is Napping Really Beneficial in the First Place?
Many people mistakenly think that napping can “make up” for lost sleep, but this isn’t quite true. When it comes to sleep, quality matters over quantity. There’s a cycle that your body goes through whenever you sleep, and you always start at the beginning of said cycle no matter how tired you are. As such, if you didn’t get enough sleep the previous night, then napping for an hour won’t necessarily help make up for it because your body won’t go through the stages necessary to truly replenish your energy and mental functions. Furthermore, even if your body does go through all the steps of the sleep cycle, it still won’t be the same as if you had gotten the proper amount of sleep in the first place. A 2016 study published in PubMed Central found that it can take four days to fully recover from missing just one hour of sleep.
Napping can be beneficial for some people, as some research indicates that it can improve alertness and reduce the risk of mistakes or accidents while you’re awake. But if you’re suffering from a sleep disorder, then chances are that napping won’t help as much as you might hope.
What If You’ve Been Diagnosed with Sleep Apnea?
If you’re already diagnosed with sleep apnea, then you shouldn’t be snoozing at all without first using the proper treatment, be it CPAP or oral appliance therapy. Without said treatment, your body will suffer from the ill effects of sleep apnea. Also, if you’re having trouble getting a full night’s sleep even with the proper sleep apnea treatment, then you might want to avoid napping as much as possible. The more tired you are at night, the easier it will be to fall asleep at the proper time even if you’re still getting used to your equipment.
It’s important to talk to a sleep expert about your napping habits if it seems like you never get enough sleep at night, or if you still feel tired even if you nap during the day. You need to be aware of how your body is truly being affected by napping so that you can make the right decisions for your health in the long term.
About the Practice
The team at BGH Dental has been recognized as a Franklin Favorite for Best Dental Provider in the Greenfield Recorder every year since 2017. We aim to provide as many services as possible under one roof, and that includes oral appliance therapy for sleep apnea. If you have concerns about the quality of your sleep, you can schedule a consultation at our Greenfield location by visiting our website or calling (413) 772-0842.