Daytime napping - a cost-effective performance enhancer 💤
Cheap and effective.
The Effect of Daytime Napping on the Athletic Performance of Team Ball Sports Athletes: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Study Details
This new meta-analysis compiled data from 12 trials (179 team sport athletes) to establish the effects of daytime naps on athletic performance 📚
Here is what they found ⬇️
Key Findings
⏰ Nap interventions were consistently scheduled in the early afternoon (13:00–15:30)
Following presumed normal overnight sleep, napping showed…
🫁 Large positive effects on endurance performance
⚡️ Moderate improvements in agility
💪 Plus a moderate positive trend for power and strength
⏳ The magnitude of these effects was modulated by nap duration
⏰ Longer naps (>60 min) led to the largest improvements in endurance and power
⏱️ Moderate naps (31 - 60 min) similarly improved performance
Conclusion
Strategic napping (> 31 mins) should be considered for implementation into training and competition routines ✅
They aren’t just to catch-up on a poor nights sleep, but can actively improve aspects of performance 🏆
Plus they’re nice and cheap!
Reference
https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/physiology/articles/10.3389/fphys.2026.1878224/abstract
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