A brief afternoon nap may reset key brain processes, helping the mind stay flexible, focused, and ready to learn.

A quick nap in the middle of the day might do more than fight off drowsiness. A study recently published in the journal NeuroImage reports that a brief afternoon sleep can shift how brain cells connect with one another, making it easier to take in and store new information. The research team, based at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg and the University of Geneva, found that this kind of reset does not necessarily require a full night’s sleep.

The idea is simple: as you move through the day, the brain keeps strengthening communication pathways as it processes sights, ideas, and experiences. That strengthening supports learning, but it can also crowd the system, leaving the brain less flexible for what comes next. In the new work, a short sleep period appeared to dial back that built-up activity and restore the brain’s readiness to learn, which could be especially useful during periods of high workload.

“Our results suggest that even short periods of sleep enhance the brain’s capacity to encode new information,” says study leader Prof. Dr. Christoph Nissen, who performed the study during his time as medical director of the sleep center at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the Medical Center – University of Freiburg, Germany. Today, he is a university professor and chief physician at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Geneva and University Hospital of Geneva (HUG), Switzerland.

What happens in the brain during an afternoon nap

Throughout the day, the brain is continuously processing incoming information. New experiences, thoughts, and impressions strengthen the connections between nerve cells (synapses), which form the biological foundation of learning.

Over time, however, this constant strengthening can push the brain toward saturation, making it harder to absorb additional information. Sleep plays an important role in restoring balance by reducing excessive activity without erasing existing memories.

“The study shows that this ‘synaptic reset’ can happen with just an afternoon nap, clearing space for new memories to form,” says Nissen.

“The study helps us understand how important even short periods of sleep are for mental recovery,” says Prof. Dr. Dr. Kai Spiegelhalder, head of the Section for Psychiatric Sleep Research and Sleep Medicine at the Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy at the University Medical Center Freiburg. “A short nap can help you think more clearly and continue working with concentration.”

How the study was conducted

The researchers studied 20 healthy young adults across two afternoons. On one occasion, participants took a nap, while on the other they stayed awake. The naps lasted an average of 45 minutes.

Because synapses cannot be measured directly in healthy humans, the team relied on established non-invasive techniques. These included transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) and EEG measurements, which allow scientists to assess changes in synaptic strength and adaptability.

After the nap, overall synaptic strength in the brain was lower, which is considered a marker of sleep-related recovery. At the same time, the brain showed a significantly greater ability to form new connections. As a result, participants were better prepared to learn new material than after spending the same amount of time awake.

Everyday benefits and outlook

The study provides a biological explanation for why people often perform better after an afternoon nap. Especially in professions or activities that require a high level of mental or physical performance – such as in music, sports, or safety-critical areas – a nap could be used to maintain performance. “An afternoon nap can sustain performance under high demand,” says Nissen.

However, the researchers emphasize that occasional sleep problems do not automatically lead to a decline in performance. In chronic insomnia disorder in particular, sleep-wake regulatory systems are essentially intact; rather, worries and unfavorable sleep-wake behavior dominate. In such situations, cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (CBT-I) is more useful than sleeping pills, as the latter can disrupt the brain’s natural recovery processes and lead to the development of dependence.