In many cultures, particularly those with roots in tropical regions, afternoon napping is commonplace and built into daily routines.

It is not uncommon for stores and government offices to close and for many activities to stop for an hour or two each day. Afternoon naptime typically coincides with a brief lag in the body’s internal alerting signal. This signal, which increases throughout the day to offset the body’s increasing drive to sleep, wanes slightly in mid-afternoon, giving sleep drive a slight edge.

Napping also typically happens during the warmest period of the day and generally follows a large midday meal. However there is a proper way to nap to avoid disrupting your longer evening sleep cycle. This includes:

• Napping before 4 p.m.
• Not napping longer than 30 minutes to avoid the groggy feeling that occurs if you enter a deeper sleep cycle and then are awakened suddenly.

Durham College has several cozy and safe places to catch an afternoon nap on campus between classes. Keeping an eye mask and earplugs in your backpack can be helpful.