Home   Calendar   Holidays   Napping Day

Mar11 Fun Holiday – Napping Day

Napping Day is an unofficial holiday that falls on the Monday after DST begins in the United States.

Couple napping under a blanket on the couch.

Take a nap or two to celebrate Napping Day.

©iStockphoto.com/Wavebreakmedia

The day was created as a way to compensate for the hour people lose because of the time change. But this is one holiday that most people can get behind.

Short Period of Sleep

A nap is a short period of sleep usually taken during the day. Studies have shown that one or more short naps during the day can help increase productivity and alertness. It is believed that many successful people in history napped often. Some of these people were Einstein, Winston Churchill, and Napoleon.

Many Short Naps a Day

Many animals are polyphasic sleepers. This means that they take multiple naps during the day. Until the invention of electricity and affordable artificial lighting, humans slept in at least two long stretches during the night. They first slept for about 4 hours, called first sleep. They then woke up for a few hours during which they smoked, visited their friends, and ran other errands. They would then go back to sleep for what is now called the second sleep. This pattern of sleeping went out of fashion by the 17th century, as more and more people began to afford ways to artificially light up their homes after dark and in the early mornings.

How to Celebrate?

  • Take a short nap.
  • If your country does not observe DST, then follow the DST and Napping day schedule of another country. Why lose out on a holiday just because your country doesn’t have DST?

Did You Know…

…that a NASA study among pilots and astronauts found that short naps can increase performance by 34% and alertness by 54%?

Napping Day Observances

Fun Holiday: Napping Day Observances
YearWeekdayDateName
2024Mon11 MarNapping Day
2025Mon10 MarNapping Day
2026Mon9 MarNapping Day
2027Mon15 MarNapping Day
2028Mon13 MarNapping Day
2029Mon12 MarNapping Day
2030Mon11 MarNapping Day
2031Mon10 MarNapping Day
2032Mon15 MarNapping Day
2033Mon14 MarNapping Day

See all Fun Holidays

Other Fun Holidays around 11 March

8 Mar

Proofreading Day

Pay extra attention to spelling and grammatical errors in all your written work.

10 Mar

Mario Day

The made-up holiday is devoted to the iconic Nintendo game character.

11 Mar

Oatmeal Nut Waffle Day

Whip up a batch or two of this healthy and hearty version of everyone's favorite breakfast dish.

12 Mar

Alfred Hitchcock Day

Honor the work and art of the iconic British filmmaker, who is also popularly known as the Master of Suspense.