Student Perspective: To Nap or Not To Nap? Also, Where to Nap?

Image Courtesy of The National Sleep Foundation

By Anthony Curioso

This is an independently submitted op-ed for our Quill section. Views and statements made in this article do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Tower.

I previously shared my perspective on how much sleep is enough (spoiler alert: it depends on one’s extenuating circumstances). Ideally, one would hope to get as much sleep as one needs at night; however, sometimes, that isn’t possible, and one needs to take a nap wherever and whenever possible. I do not see the harm in taking a nap, especially for those who need one.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, about one-third of American adults build a daily nap into their routine, with more men than women preferring to nap. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that naps be less than twenty minutes long, stating that waking up from a nap in either 20 minutes or 90 minutes may cause you to be less groggy when you wake up. I have taken naps ranging from as short as twenty minutes to as long as two and a half hours; again, it depends on your circumstances.

Another factor to consider is where to nap. I have personally tended to either roll my wheelchair to one of the tables in the Pryzbyla Center and put my head on the table to nap or go back to my dorm room to get the nap I want. On the days when the weather permits, I have seen people out on the patio in front of the Pryz getting some shut-eye. I have also seen or heard about people napping in their majors’ respective academic buildings (especially in Ward Hall, the music building, where there are plenty of couches for people to nap on if they would like to). Through my role as a Hall Security Assistant with the Office of Residence Life, I have also seen people nap in places I would not expect within the Residence Halls, even finding a place to curl up in the residence hall offices. These individuals are obviously in desperate need of sleep, so I think it is imprudent to criticize them for their chosen locations for their respective naps.

I have taken some of my naps at seemingly random times of the day. However, a common theme with my naps has been that I will usually wake up in time for the next class I need to attend or the next meal or other activity I want to participate in. Unfortunately, though, there was at least one instance where I felt an urgent need to nap and then evidently forgot to set my alarm to wake me up. I was supposed to read at the 5:10 p.m. Mass in St. Vincent de Paul Chapel that day, but unfortunately, I didn’t wake up from my nap until 5:30 p.m. I sincerely hope there was someone who went to that Mass who could read in my place, but I guess I’ll never know for sure.

Ultimately, napping is a good way to recharge for those who need it. However, one must consider where and when to take a nap so they can get the most out of their nap experience.