SleepShred
Get the app

Naps and the afternoon dip

The dip is normal. Short early naps help; long late naps steal from the night.

The early-afternoon dip is a circadian feature, present whether or not you ate lunch. Galpin: you should feel a little sleepy in the early afternoon and tired at the end of the day — high performers who fear tiredness are fighting biology.

Naps of 10–20 minutes before mid-afternoon improve alertness with little inertia; naps over 30 minutes or late in the day reduce sleep pressure and can shorten the night. Log nap minutes so the comparison can run.

Sources · 2

The post-lunch dip in performanceMonk TH · 2005The early-afternoon dip is a normal circadian feature, largely independent of lunch — 'that's the point'.Benefits of napping in healthy adultsMilner CE, Cote KA · 2009Short (10–20 min) early-afternoon naps improve alertness with little sleep inertia; long/late naps cut into night sleep.

Related topics

Exercise, RHR & energy

Frequently asked questions

Naps and the afternoon dip?

The dip is normal. Short early naps help; long late naps steal from the night.

Is SleepShred free?

No. SleepShred Pro is $4.99 per month or $29.99 per year, with no free trial and no ads. Everything stays on your iPhone.

Track it, don't guess it

SleepShred turns this research into a 20-second daily habit: log your night, see which of your own behaviours move your sleep, and screen for the disorders nobody diagnoses.

Get SleepShred for iPhone

Educational summary of published research, not medical advice. Screening scores are not diagnoses. If a score is elevated or you feel unwell, talk to a clinician.