Michigan State University’s (MSU) Sleep and Learning Lab has found that short naps during the day don’t necessarily make-up for sleep deprivation at night. Short naps of 30 minutes to 60 minutes didn’t significantly add up. The study was published in a journal called Sleep, and is among the first-of-its-kind that studies the impact of short naps.
The good news, however, is that the amount of short-wave sleep (SWS) that participants in the study experienced did counter some effects associated with sleep deprivation. SWS is the deepest level of sleep someone can experience. In this kind of sleep high-amplitude, low frequency brain waves are observed in the sleeper. Additionally, the body is relaxed, muscles are at rest, and heart and respiration rate are at their lowest.

Participants in the study had to perform a set of cognitive tests in MSU’s sleep and learning lab, and were then put in three separate groups – one had the option of 30 to 60 minute naps, the second were sent home to sleep, and the third did not sleep at all. Next morning when the three groups returned to the lab, they performed certain cognitive tests. It was seen the group that took short naps still showed signs of sleep deprivation.