
Sleep expert Matthew Walker explains how naps can negatively impact your body. Following is a transcript of the video.
Matthew Walker: My name is Matthew Walker. I am a professor of neuroscience and psychology at the University of California Berkeley and I am the author of the book, "Why We Sleep."
Should we actually be taking naps during the day? Well, we certainly know from evidence in my own sleep center and that of many other scientists that naps can give you benefits for both your brain and your body. But naps can actually be a double-edged sword because whilst we're awake during the day, we're building up sleepiness or sleep pressure. So that when you try to fall asleep at night, you'll fall asleep quickly and then you'll stay asleep. And when we sleep, we actually release that sleepiness, almost like a valve on a pressure cooker, so that we wake up the next morning feeling refreshed.