Taking a nap has always been looked down upon as if it's a lazy or undisciplined thing to do, especially on a college campus. Then again, studies have continuously proven that napping has many emotional, and physical advantages for students. However, a lot of schools still frown upon the idea of napping, claiming that it cuts into their teaching time and that the students will be behind those who did not take a nap. On the other hand, I think that sleeping, or napping rather, should be allowed in school because it would be so helpful to the student's health, grades, and productivity in general. This essay will talk more about the positive reasons for napping in school.
That's the first thing, taking a nap is a scientifically proven way to boost mental ability and memory consolidation. During sleep, the brain processes and consolidates information, making it easier to recall and apply learned material. A research experiment in the Journal of Sleep Research discovered that students who took a thirty-minute nap right after they learned some new material showed much better memory recall than those who did not take a nap (Walker & Stickgold, 2006). By incorporating napping into the school day, students can better absorb and retain information, leading to improved academic performance. Not only does napping help with cognition, but it also helps with the overall emotional health of the student. A lack of sleep, of which adolescents are very prevalent, can cause more stress, anxiety, and depression. But by allowing napping in schools, many of these bad feelings and emotions can be avoided, and a much healthier, more balanced lifestyle will be encouraged. Furthermore, napping can help students develop better emotional regulation skills, enabling them to manage their emotions more effectively and respond to challenging situations in a more constructive manner.
Sleeping, or napping rather, can also greatly affect the physical health of the student. Sleep is essential to physical growth and lack of sleep over time can cause serious medical conditions such as obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. By prioritizing napping, schools can help students develop healthy sleep habits and reduce their risk of developing these serious health issues. Not only does napping give students more energy and help them concentrate better, but it also improves athletic performance and decreases the risk of injury (Killgore, 2007). Another reason that naps should be allowed in schools is because it would make things fair for those who don't get enough sleep at home. A lot of students especially those from lowincome families may not have a stable or comfortable sleeping environment, so they are chronically sleep-deprived. Schools should have some place where students could go and take a nap in a safe, quiet environment, and that would also help with the problem of sleep deprivation, and perhaps even out a little bit the playing field of academic achievement (National Sleep Foundation, 2023).
Others will say that it would be a logistical nightmare to add napping into the school day. However, this need not be the case. Schools could designate a quiet, comfortable space for students to nap, or even provide nap pods or sleep rooms for students to use during designated times. Also, naps could be taken during existing breaks or recess times, so it would not drastically interfere with the current school schedule.
To sum it all up, sleeping or napping in school should be allowed because of its many cognitive, emotional, and physical advantages. If schools would only make it so that napping is more important, students would be much healthier, do better in school, and be more productive overall. Rather than stigmatizing napping as a sign of laziness, we should recognize its value as a critical component of a healthy, balanced lifestyle. By incorporating napping into the school day, we can help students thrive academically, emotionally, and physically, setting them up for success in all aspects of life.
Reference
National Sleep Foundation. (2024, September 30). National Sleep Foundation.https://www.thensf.org/
Killgore, W. D. (2010). Effects of sleep deprivation on cognition. Progress in