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Recovery

B · Reasonable confidence

Daytime napping after normal sleep and physical performance

Subject: Napping and physical performance

What this means

After a nap, participants covered more distance and showed less fatigue in a 5-m shuttle run test than without a nap. Napping had no measurable effect on muscle force.

Boukhris O, Trabelsi K, Suppiah H, Ammar A, Clark CCT, Jahrami H, Chtourou H, Driller M · 2024 · Sports Medicine 54(2):323-345

What does this rating mean?

A solid systematic review with caveats, or consistent indications with a limited scope.

Findings

A daytime nap after a normal night's sleep is associated with better physical performance, with duration and timing mattering.

Who this applies to

Physically active people and athletes who slept normally the night before, 7 to 9 hours.

Size of the research

18 studies, 15 of strong and 3 of moderate quality.

What to keep in mind

Most other performance measures, such as sprinting and jumping, were studied in only one to three studies. That is too few for firm conclusions.

Practical conclusion for REZA

A concrete, practical measure for clients who train in the evening after a long workday.

View method and source

Methodology

Systematic review, meta-analysis and meta-regression

Original source

DOI: 10.1007/s40279-023-01920-2 · PMID: 37700141

View on PubMed →

This information is general education about scientific research. It is not personal medical advice and does not replace diagnosis or treatment by a doctor or other healthcare professional. If you have symptoms, a medical condition or take medication, consult your GP or treating professional before changing your training or nutrition.