How many times have you thought about pushing everything to the side and taking a nap? Your eyes get so heavy after class, in between classes, or while doing homework. You think for just one second “what if I take a nap?" You feel the exhaustion from your mind taking over your body and have a feeling the only thing that will make it better is to close your eyes at least for a few minutes. It is okay, we have all been there more than once.

When you were little, you probably fought your parents to skip naptime. Nowadays, you look back on those precious hours designated to sleep and wish you could go back for a short nap. Who says you cannot? Who says it is wrong for college students to close their eyes for a little while and recover their energy? If we are honest, we need it more now than we did back then. We need to take a break from studying or working to re-energize ourselves. So, what a better way to do that than by taking a nap?

The Sleep Foundation describes five types of naps:

1.Recovery Nap: is the one you take to compensate for sleep loss.

2.Prophylactic Nap: is the one you take to prepare yourself for sleep loss.

3.Appetitive Nap: is the one taken for the enjoyment of napping.

4.Fulfillment Nap: is the one we know infants and toddlers take throughout the day.

5.Essential Nap: is the one you take while you are sick or feeling under the weather.

As mentioned before, as a child you probably fought your parents to skip naptime; you skipped that fulfillment nap. Today, you wish you had not. When you are sick, you definitely go for those essential naps to let your body recover and to avoid any aches that might come with the illness. But which naps are the ones you can consider taking when you are a college student? The first three!

1.Recovery Nap: you will most definitely need this one after pulling an all-nighter to study and prepare for a class, or even after going out with your friends – yes, it is okay to take time off to relax and enjoy yourself.

2.Prophylactic Nap: you will probably need this nap to prepare for an all-nighter in the library. Gives you extra hours of sleep before having to stay awake for longer than usual.

3.       Appetitive Nap: you will take a nap out of enjoyment to celebrate you have submitted every assignment and are up to date in class.

Naps should not be frowned upon among college students. You need the rest. You need to recover your energy somehow, and this is a great way! Taking a nap does not make you lazy or a procrastinator. It means you are listening to your body when it tells you, you need to stop and recharge. All of us need that at some point. No matter how busy you are or how full you feel your schedule is, making time for a nap is okay. Remember the most important thing is to take care of yourself.