Does napping during the day make it harder to sleep at night?

It can, depending on how long and how late you nap. Sleep Foundation advises keeping naps to about 20 minutes and no longer than 30 minutes, and taking them eight or more hours before bedtime, which for most people means before about 3 p.m. Long or late naps can cut into your sleep drive at night.

A short nap in the early afternoon fits your body's natural post-lunch dip and usually leaves you refreshed. A 90-minute nap can work because it completes a full sleep cycle, but it is more likely to affect your night.

Research suggests daytime napping affects nighttime sleep mostly in older adults, and evening naps are the biggest risk for everyone. If you are struggling to fall asleep at night, try skipping naps for a week and see whether it helps.

If you feel the need to nap every day or are very sleepy in the daytime even after a full night, talk to your doctor. It can be a sign of an underlying sleep disorder.

Source: Sleep Foundation - Napping: Benefits and Tips

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