napraising

Napraising is a neologism that refers to the advocacy for and practice of daytime naps as a legitimate habit to improve wellbeing, productivity, and mood. The term blends nap with raising, in the sense of promoting awareness, acceptance, and adoption of nap-friendly practices. It has appeared in online discussions and wellness contexts during the 2020s, but it remains informal and not a formal field of study.

Proponents argue that naps can reduce daytime sleepiness, support cognitive performance, and stabilize mood. The concept often aligns with siesta and sleep-optimization movements, encouraging environments that make short naps feasible in homes, schools, and workplaces. Sleep science commonly notes that brief naps of about 10-20 minutes can boost alertness and performance, while longer naps of 60-90 minutes may aid memory consolidation but carry a higher risk of sleep inertia if timed or executed poorly.

Implementation guidance within napraising typically emphasizes practicality and individuality. For individuals, recommendations include keeping naps short, creating a quiet and comfortable setting, avoiding late-day naps, and respecting personal chronotypes. In organizational or educational settings, napraising may advocate for flexible schedules, designated nap spaces or pods, and policies that protect nap time from interruptions, accompanied by education on healthy sleep habits.

Critics warn of potential social stigma, uneven feasibility across occupations, and the risk that nap culture could be misused to excuse insufficient nighttime sleep. They also point to concerns about sleep inertia after longer naps and the challenge of measuring benefits in real-world contexts. Overall, napraising remains an emerging, debated concept rather than a universally accepted practice.