Psychology says people who love their afternoon nap may be responding to more than tiredness

For some people, an afternoon nap is an emergency measure after a terrible night's sleep. For others, it is one of the most anticipated parts of the day. Lunch ends, curtains are drawn, the phone goes silent and 20 minutes of sleep can feel like hitting a reset button. People who love afternoon naps are sometimes casually described as lazy or lacking energy, but sleep psychology offers a much more interesting explanation. Napping sits at the intersection of circadian rhythms, homeostatic sleep pressure, cognitive recovery, memory consolidation and learned routines. In other words, the desire to sleep during the day is not necessarily a failure of motivation. Sometimes it reflects the way two powerful biological systems regulate when the brain feels ready to sleep and when it feels ready to perform.

Psychology Says Your Need for a Nap Builds While You're Awake