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Evaluation of effects of day time napping in college students using salivary endocrinological stress marker Cortisol

Chronic stress is associated with many disorders such as hypertension, depression, immune suppression, diabetes, and obesity. College students are exposed to constant psychological stress. This research is focused on evaluation of the stress relief effect of day time napping by measuring the levels of sensitive salivary endocrinological stress marker cortisol. Students were divided into three groups according to their napping habits. The first group included students who continued with the usual daily routine, the second group consisted of students who do not take daily naps but were asked to introduce every day nap into their schedule, the third group consisted of students who take daily naps but were asked to remove them from their routine. Saliva samples were collected at the beginning of the experiment and two weeks later. Salivary cortisol levels were evaluated by High Sensitivity Salivary Cortisol Enzyme Immunoassay. There was no statistically significant difference in cortisol concentration in the first two groups. There was a statistically significant decrease of the cortisol level in the third group. These findings suggest that daily napping does not relieve stress, in fact the removal of daily napping from a daily schedule of habitual nappers does significantly lower their stress levels.