Psychology
The Nap You're Ashamed to Take
Wednesday, March 23, 2022
Napping works. The real problem isn't whether it helps you — it's that you live somewhere that requires apology for needing rest. The stigma isn't medical. It's economic.
A 20-minute nap restores cognitive function for 2-3 hours after waking.
Most human cultures before industrialization practiced biphasic sleep or afternoon rest.
In the US and Northern Europe, napping signals laziness or illness—a distinctly recent invention.
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