The relationships between wanting to nap, actually napping, and depressed and anxious mood.

Abstract

Study objectives: These studies disentangle the relationships between wanting to nap (nap desire), actually napping (nap behavior), and depressed and anxious mood. Study 1 partially replicated and extended findings connecting napping and depressed and anxious mood. Study 2 explored the distinction between nap desire and behavior using a new, larger sample and a different technique.

Methods: Study 1 used a longitudinal, multimethod approach to understand napping and mood among undergraduate students in the United States (N = 104). In Study 2, a cross-sectional survey was conducted on adults over 25 in the continental United States (N = 1406), including items from the DASS-21 and questions about nap desire and behavior.

Results: Study 1 found a significant relationship between same-day napping behavior and depressed mood (M _nap = 1.61, SE _nap = 0.08 vs. M _{no nap} = 1.44, SE _{no nap} = 0.06, p = .018) but not anxious mood (p = .766). Study 2 partially replicated those findings; Analysis of Covariance (ANCOVA) showed that napping desire had a significant effect on anxious (F(1, 1291) = 6.86, p = .009, partial η² = .005) and depressed mood (F(1, 1291) = 13.46, p < .001, partial η² = .010), accounting for age, gender, and restedness, but napping behavior did not add to that effect.

Conclusions: Wanting to nap is related to greater depressed and anxious mood, but actual napping did not add to that relationship. These results have implications for clinicians using sleep assessment as a screening tool for mental health and highlight the need for further research on napping motivation.