Napping and its effects upon medical students’ ability to concentrate
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.54361/Abstract
Although many people are aware of how a good night’s sleep can benefit them, they do not know how taking a nap can also be advantageous. Napping also has its stigmas and is thought to be a sign of laziness, lack of ambition or only needed in children, the sick and the elderly. Catching a quick nap sometime during the course of the day leaves people feeling more energized. The purpose of this study was to determine the napping pattern of MBBS students in UniKL-RCMP and its influence on student’s ability to concentrate. We also sought to determine student’s perceptions regarding the advantages of napping. This was a descriptive study regarding napping and its effects on student’s ability to concentrate. We performed a questionnaire-based survey of MBBS students in UniKL-RCMP in October 2010. Students were randomly selected using a simple random sampling method. The questionnaire gathered information on napping habits of students, concentration ability after napping, and student’s perception regarding the advantages of napping. Almost all UniKL MBBS students nap (86.8%) and the majority of the students who nap are able to concentrate on their studies better after taking a nap (77.1%). The pattern of napping which includes duration of a nap (p = 0.000), frequency of naps per week (p = 0.008), and preference to time of day nap takes place (p = 0.026) positively and significantly influences a student’s ability to concentrate. Although most students were of the opinion that napping has no advantages (38.1), students who napped for more than 20 minutes thought napping to be very advantageous (20%). The rest thought napping to be only advantageous. With a p = 0.011, there was a statistically significant difference between duration of nap and advantages of napping. Students who napped for less than 20 minutes and were able to concentrate better after taking a nap could study for another 60 minutes afterwards whereas students who napped for more than 20 minutes could study for another 120 minutes afterwards. Students’ perceptions of the advantages and disadvantages of napping were evaluated. This study has shown that napping does have a significant positive effect on student’s ability to concentrate.
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