Do power naps really work?
So several research studies have shown that naps improve long-term performance in work areas where long term vigilance is demanded (i.e. long range air travel). Caveat being that the performance increase that they observe is relative to NO nap. In general, people work best when they are able to get at least eight hours of rest in a 24 hour period (no, you cannot “bank” rest against periods when you are able to get less than eight hours in a 24 hour period. It’s a circadian rhythm thing. Same reason that you feel sluggish after a nap during the day.). Studies have shown that for folks who have work periods that don’t accommodate eight straight hours of rest/24 hours, throwing in a nap is helpful. So essentially, yes, if you are sleep deprived, naps help. Surprise, some sleep is better than no sleep, but full sleep is better than some sleep.
