The Sleep Society

10/11/2026

HOW VERY TRUE

10/08/2026

10/04/2026

Napping: Countermeasure, Warning Sign—or Both?

Napping sounds simple. We become tired, we sleep for a while, and we feel better. But for healthcare workers, drivers, military personnel, shift workers and others working in safety-sensitive environments, the question is considerably more important: can a nap actually restore performance after sleep loss, and when might frequent napping instead indicate an underlying problem?

Two recent studies provide complementary answers.

When sleep loss is unavoidable, a short nap can help

The first, published in Anesthesiology, examined 35 anesthesia and intensive-care residents. Participants were assessed when rested and again following a 24-hour shift. During the sleep-deprived condition, they were randomly assigned either a 30-minute nap opportunity or a control condition before undertaking a simulated medical crisis. Sleep was objectively monitored using actigraphy.

The results are important. In the primary analysis, clinical performance following the nap opportunity was 7.4% better than in the control group. The greatest benefit was seen in non-technical skills, including leadership and resource utilization. Technical performance did not differ significantly between groups, although greater sleep duration was associated with better technical performance.

Most residents offered the nap actually slept, averaging approximately 22 minutes.

This was a small study and performance was measured in a simulation rather than through actual patient outcomes. It therefore does not prove that a 30-minute nap prevents medical errors. What it does provide is randomized evidence that a brief opportunity to sleep can measurably improve aspects of performance after substantial sleep loss.

But frequent napping can tell a different story

The second study, wonderfully titled Snoozing While Cruising, examined napping among 10,590 active-duty US Navy sailors.

Researchers Dale Russell and Anne Germain found something apparently contradictory. More frequent napping was associated with lower odds of high job stress and impaired functioning, supporting the concept of napping as an effective acute fatigue-management strategy.

But there was another side to the findings.

More frequent napping was also associated with greater odds of burnout, while sailors napping on five or more days each week had higher odds of reporting an elevated number of poor mental-health days. Nap frequency was not significantly associated with poor physical-health days.

This does not mean that naps cause burnout or poor mental health. The study was observational and demonstrates associations rather than causation.

Instead, frequent napping may sometimes be a marker of the conditions creating the need to nap—insufficient sleep opportunity, demanding schedules, fatigue or chronic occupational strain.

So, should we nap?

The two studies together provide a useful answer.

Strategic napping can be an effective fatigue countermeasure. Frequent dependence upon napping, however, may be a signal that we should ask why the person is so tired in the first place.

That distinction matters.

Someone who has experienced unavoidable acute sleep loss—a physician completing an overnight shift, for example—may benefit from a planned nap. In these circumstances, napping is being used deliberately to reduce an immediate physiological consequence of inadequate sleep.

But if someone routinely struggles to remain awake during the day or needs frequent naps despite apparently adequate opportunity for nighttime sleep, simply recommending more naps risks overlooking the underlying problem.

That problem might be chronic insufficient sleep, an unsuitable work schedule, circadian disruption or potentially a sleep disorder requiring assessment.

Naps don't replace sleep

Perhaps the most important message from both studies is what they do not show.

Neither provides evidence that people can routinely shorten their main sleep period and simply compensate with occasional naps. Russell and Germain specifically caution that nap frequency should not be regarded as a substitute for sufficient total sleep opportunity or for addressing chronic occupational strain.

This is particularly important in fatigue-related safety messaging. Telling a sleepy driver simply to “take a nap” can inadvertently suggest that sleep deprivation has been corrected. A nap may temporarily improve alertness, but it does not erase accumulated sleep debt or make chronic insufficient sleep safe.

The same principle applies in medicine, aviation, transportation, military operations and shift work.

We therefore need to stop thinking of napping as either “good” or “bad.”

A better question is:

Why is the person napping?

A strategically planned nap during unavoidable sleep loss can be a valuable tool. Repeatedly needing naps to function may instead be telling us something important about sleep health, workload or the way work itself has been organized.

In other words, the nap can be both a treatment for fatigue and a symptom of the problem causing it.

For individuals and organizations concerned with safety, that distinction is worth understanding.

10/04/2026

https://youtu.be/2vvZxQ2HD_A?si=Udf5y-WYFjbImq7b

Entrevista con la Dra. Rosa Jiménez, especialista en Neurodesarrollo.

10/01/2026

Welcome BSM Providers!

Join Our Team! - Specialized training in Behavioral Sleep Medicine/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

Looking for a Licensed Mental Health Clinician (Insomnia Treatment Program)

Location: Texas (Telehealth with opportunity for hybrid/in-person)

Position Type: Full-Time or
Part-Time

We are seeking a compassionate, curious, and motivated licensed mental health clinician who wants more than simply carrying a
caseload. We are looking for someone excited to become an expert in a rapidly growing specialty area:

* Behavioral Sleep
Medicine (Insomnia/CBT-I and related sleep disorders)

No previous experience in these specialties is required. We are looking for someone
who is eager to learn, committed to clinical excellence, and excited to receive specialized training and mentorship.

About Mind
Body Sleep

Mind Body Sleep is a specialty psychology practice dedicated to helping individuals with insomnia, Functional
Neurological Disorders, chronic medical conditions, and the complex interaction between the brain, body, and behavior.

We believe
exceptional care happens when evidence-based science is paired with compassion, curiosity, and genuine human connection.

Our mission is not
simply symptom reduction—we help people rebuild confidence, restore function, improve sleep, and reconnect with meaningful lives.

What Makes This Position Different?

This is not a typical outpatient therapy position.

As part of our team,
you will receive ongoing mentorship and training in highly specialized evidence-based treatments that relatively few clinicians provide, including:

* Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

* Behavioral Sleep Medicine

* Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)

* Health psychology interventions


* Behavioral medicine and chronic illness

* Evidence-based treatment planning for complex medical
presentations

Our goal is to help you become a recognized specialist—not just another general therapist.

Why Join
Us?

Behavioral Sleep Medicine represents a unique and fast-growing specialty areas in behavioral healthcare.

Demand for
qualified clinicians continues to increase while access to trained providers remains limited.

Joining Mind Body Sleep offers an opportunity
to build a meaningful career in a niche specialty where your expertise can make an extraordinary difference in people's lives.

If you're
passionate about learning, committed to excellence, and excited to grow into a highly specialized clinician, we'd love to hear from you.

Please visit our website for more information about our practice: Mindbodysleeptherapy.com

What You'll
Do

* Provide psychotherapy via telehealth or in person at our Dallas office location

*
Treat adults presenting with insomnia, chronic medical conditions, anxiety, depression, trauma, and related concerns

*
Develop individualized, evidence-based treatment plans

* Collaborate with neurologists, sleep physicians,
psychiatrists, and other healthcare professionals

* Participate in case consultation, supervision, and ongoing clinical
training

* Contribute to a collaborative, supportive team culture centered on clinical excellence

Who
We're Looking For

We're looking for someone specifically for our Insomnia Clinic who is:

* Naturally
curious and enjoys learning

* Warm, compassionate, and relationship-oriented

* Comfortable
working with medically complex patients

* Interested in neuroscience, behavior change, and mind-body health

* Organized, reliable, and committed to high-quality clinical care

* Excited to build long-term
expertise in specialty psychology

* We are an insurance-based practice. Candidates must be willing to be paneled with
the major health insurances we work with. We handle the credentialing process.

Most importantly, we're looking for someone who genuinely
enjoys helping people navigate difficult health challenges with hope, compassion, and evidence-based care.

While we are looking for someone
to start in our Insomnia treatment program initially, the ability to cross-train into our other specialty areas is available. We encourage applicants
with a wide range of interests and clinical experiences and value and honor what you bring to the table.

Qualifications

Required:

* Independent Texas licensure (Psychologist, LPC, LCSW, or LMFT)

*
Excellent interpersonal and clinical skills

* Experience providing psychotherapy to adults


* Ability to work independently in a telehealth setting

Preferred (not required):

* Experience
with CBT

* Experience working with chronic illness or medical populations

* Interest in
Behavioral Sleep Medicine

* Health psychology experience

What We Offer


* Specialized training in Behavioral Sleep Medicine/Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-I)

*
Individual mentorship and ongoing consultation

* Flexible scheduling

* Competitive
compensation

* Administrative and billing support

* Opportunity to grow alongside a
rapidly expanding specialty practice

* A collaborative culture that values learning, integrity, curiosity, and
compassion

*To apply, please submit your resume and a brief cover letter describing what excites you about this opportunity to

[email protected]
[email protected]

09/27/2026

Sleep Disruption May Accelerate Molecular Ageing
New research published on September 22 has identified a possible molecular pathway linking disrupted sleep with ageing and neurodegeneration. Researchers analysing multiple human and mouse transcriptomic and proteomic datasets found that chronic sleep disruption and ageing were both associated with weakening of HSF1-mediated proteostasis—the cellular machinery responsible for maintaining healthy proteins. The effect was particularly evident in neurons, including hippocampal and cortical pathways implicated in Alzheimer’s disease. The findings suggest that persistent poor sleep may progressively reduce the brain’s ability to withstand cellular stress. Nature
Why it matters: This is particularly interesting because it offers a biologically plausible mechanism connecting sleep disruption, ageing and neurodegenerative vulnerability—not merely another epidemiological association. It does not establish that poor sleep causes Alzheimer’s disease, but it identifies HSF1/proteostasis as a pathway worthy of further investigation and potentially, eventually, therapeutic targeting. The authors disclose a patent relating to HSF1 modulation for sleep therapy.

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41514-026-00507-1

09/23/2026

https://behavioralsleep.org/index.php/2026-scientific-conference-registration