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What Is a Cat Nap?

Laura M. Sands
Laura M. Sands

Cat nap is an idiom used to describe a very brief period of sleep, which usually occurs during normal waking hours. Similar to another idiomatic expression known as a power nap, this is a short sleep meant to revive or rejuvenate a tired person. The length of time for an individual cat nap may vary, but may range from a few minutes to approximately one hour. Although a daytime nap may last for a longer period, a prolonged sleep break is usually referred to simply as a nap.

Like many other English sayings, the etymology of the cat nap idiom is simple. In the early 1800s, people began using this term to describe human naps that are similar in form to the short sleep periods that cats often engage in. While most cats sleep several hours per day, they are also known for sometimes doing so in very short intervals. It is not uncommon for the meaning of idioms like this to be traced to similarly simple origins.

Cat naps are brief periods of sleep that are usually taken during the day.
Cat naps are brief periods of sleep that are usually taken during the day.

When some people engage in a cat nap, sleep may be very light. These particular naps are so short that some may take them while sitting upright at a desk or may doze off for a few short minutes while watching television. Sometimes taking a quick nap is intentional, while other people may unintentionally fall asleep.

Increasingly, health experts recommend that people take a daily cat nap as a way of restoring energy and increasing work productivity. The famous British politician Winston Churchill has been quoted as being an advocate of daily naps for precisely this reason. Other esteemed individuals noted for taking daytime naps include Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton. Athletes are also known to relish a cat nap as a way to prepare for an upcoming competition. It is believed that such naps, also referred to as power naps, help increase a person’s mental focus and alertness.

The short periods of sleep that cats engage in led to the development of the cat nap idiom.
The short periods of sleep that cats engage in led to the development of the cat nap idiom.

In some countries, it is understood that employees benefit from an afternoon cat nap and special accommodations are made for nap times, such as quiet rooms with comfortable chairs or sofas designated for resting. Scientists specializing in sleep research have published numerous studies on how the brain benefits from a brief daily nap. In addition to increased mental alertness, employees who are allowed to partake of a daily cat nap also report positive mood changes and decreased stress levels.

Discussion Comments

serenesurface

@burcidi-- I agree with you! My grandfather is a cat napper. He even falls asleep at the dinner table!

I love napping too, but there is no way I could fall asleep so often.

burcidi

I think a cat nap is different than a power nap. I used to take power naps in college when I had to stay up at night to study. I would sleep for twenty minutes and then get up. But cat naps seem to be more frequent and even shorter.

turquoise

I never understood what people meant by a cat nap until I finally adopted a cat. My cat basically sleeps all night and throughout the day, but the naps during the day are different. I think she sleeps for about a half hour every two hours.

It's kind of crazy because she will sleep, wake up, eat, play and run, and then sleep again. She can fall asleep at anytime and yet it's easy to wake her.

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    • Cat naps are brief periods of sleep that are usually taken during the day.
      Cat naps are brief periods of sleep that are usually taken during the day.
    • The short periods of sleep that cats engage in led to the development of the cat nap idiom.
      By: Reddogs
      The short periods of sleep that cats engage in led to the development of the cat nap idiom.
    • Brief naps can be energizing.
      By: Sanjay Deva
      Brief naps can be energizing.
    • Sleep may be very light during a cat nap.
      By: WavebreakMediaMicro
      Sleep may be very light during a cat nap.
    • Students may take a cat nap before tackling homework.
      By: Igor Mojzes
      Students may take a cat nap before tackling homework.
    • A cat nap during a lunch break can help a person get through the rest of the work day.
      By: Brian Jackson
      A cat nap during a lunch break can help a person get through the rest of the work day.