How Did Short Naps Improve Astronaut Mission Performance?

Matt Walker says NASA pioneered short naps back in the 1990s. During the missions, naps of as little as 26 minutes improved mission performance by 34 percent and improved daytime alertness by 50 percent. The finding birthed the NASA nap culture throughout all terrestrial NASA staff during that time period.

Astronauts tried the naps while missions were underway. A nap of 26 minutes improved mission performance by 34 percent. Daytime alertness improved by 50 percent from naps of that short length. Terrestrial NASA staff then carried the NASA nap culture through the rest of that time period.

Walker adds that the benefit of naps has long been known. The 1990s mission data put a size on the gain: 34 percent better mission performance and 50 percent better daytime alertness from 26 minutes of sleep.