Too sleepy

The Midday Nap: Lazy Or Leading The Future?

Advaita Das & Riya Goyal
AGS (IBDP Curriculum) Gur, XI

We all crave the midday nap; a tiny escape we fantasise between meetings or during 3 pm slumps. But is it a productivity hack or just laziness? For decades, rest has been mistaken for weakness, while hustle has been glorified. Yet as science redraws the boundaries of success, the nap is making a comeback as a cognitive reset. So, is it time to rethink our attitude towards some shut-eye? Let’s look at both sides of the pillow.

Small sleep, big gains
It turns out our urge to doze after lunch is biology. Humans experience a post-lunch circadian dip in alertness between 1-3 pm, a pattern observed across cultures and age groups. The National Institute of Health reports that a 10 to 30-minute nap can boost cognitive performance by up to 40%. A NASA-backed study found that pilots and astronauts who took a 26-minute nap improved performance by 34% and alertness by 54%. Globally, napping is not seen as slacking. Countries like Spain, Italy, Greece, and Japan integrate mid-afternoon rest as part of their cultural rhythm. Neuroscientist Matthew Walker, author of Why We Sleep, says, “Sleep is not a waste of time. It’s a biological necessity.”

Not everyone’s dreaming
Still, napping has its critics. Midday sleep can disrupt night-time sleep cycles, especially for people who struggle with insomnia. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, naps longer than 30 minutes can cause sleep inertia. When naps are taken too late, the body’s internal clock shifts, which is problematic for teenagers whose biological clocks already run late. There’s also the issue of overuse. Research from the University of Colorado shows that prolonged daytime naps may be linked to increased night-time sleep fragmentation, and in some adults, even raised markers of metabolic disorders. Critics argue that habitual napping can, in some cases, become avoidance, escaping stress rather than managing it.

The sleepy paradox
Is a nap a neural boost or a grown-up timeout? The truth sits squarely in the middle. Like exercise, napping is a tool. A short, timed nap (10-30 minutes) improves alertness, creativity, and emotional stability. But poorly timed or prolonged naps can disrupt sleep cycles and slow you down instead of lifting you up. Maybe it’s time to move beyond the outdated lazy-vs-driven debate and ask a better question: is napping the most underrated productivity tool, dismissed simply because it challenges our obsession with constant hustle? Or is it, sometimes, a quiet form of avoidance that blurs the line between restoration and procrastination?

Marketing skills matter

In today’s fast-paced world, marketing is no longer just a term associated with the business industry - it is a life skill. Whether a child dreams of becoming an entrepreneur, a doctor, a social worker, or an innovator, it is the ability to understand their audience and communicate clearly which ultimately shapes their success. With this vision, the Commerce Department of Amity Group of Schools have come up with their own Marketing Society which aims to equip students with essential marketing expertise. Led by a vibrant team of students and faculty members of the Commerce Department, the society is committed to nurturing creativity, communication and strategic thinking among students. The society plans to conduct several workshops, campaigns and projects on a regular basis which will provide students with hands-on experience about branding, consumer psychology, digital marketing etc., while also teaching them about the importance of ethical consumerism.
One such recent event witnessed the presence of eminent industry experts like Sajal Gupta, founder and CEO of Kiaos Marketing, and Kunal Arora, co-founder of Oh Nuts! Their interactions with students provided valuable insights into various aspects of marketing, including brand identity, social change and how it can be a powerful tool for progress in any career. The society will also act as a training ground for articulation, vocabulary building, teamwork, and confident presentation - skills that ensure students’ ideas reach the right audience effectively. In fact, in just six months, the Marketing Society has grown into a buzzing hub where creativity sparks action and ambitions evolve into impact. It is a dynamic space for Amitians to explore, express, and emerge as thoughtful, globally aware changemakers of tomorrow.

Bridging cultures

At Amity Global School Gurgaon, the guiding philosophy of our respected Chairperson ma’am: “Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam” – the world is one family – combined with the IB Mission Statement, shapes learners to recognise shared humanity and celebrate diverse perspectives.
This year also brings pride as our Chairperson ma’am is honoured with the prestigious Youth Noble Peace Prize for building a global gateway that connects young leaders across 40+ countries. This honour epitomises an affirmation of the values she has instilled in all of us – compassion, collaboration, and an unwavering commitment to peace.
Carrying this spirit forward, the editorial board has worked with a strong collaborative ethic to bring this edition to life. From ideating themes that bridge cultures to curating student voices that highlight global mindedness, the team engaged in thoughtful discussions, meticulous research, and multiple rounds of editing to ensure each article reflects depth and authenticity. Learners refined arguments and challenged assumptions, embodying the ideals of critical reflection and responsible expression.
This edition stands as a testament to their journey rooted in dialogue, creativity, and a shared commitment to building a more informed, inclusive, and peaceful world.

Celebrating creative innovation

As the AGS Gurgaon coordinator of The Global Times, I am delighted to invite you to explore a collection of articles where every page has a story of its own. Each piece you encounter is the result of rigorous drafting, extensive editing, and countless moments of re-imagining ideas.
Across genres, our students’ work reveals how deeply they engaged with the writing process: autobiographies shaped by careful research, interviews enriched by effective communication, poems refined through rhythm and revision, and humour pieces sharpened for impact – all reflect their dedication to improvement.
Under the guiding light of our Chairperson ma’am and the support of our principal ma’am, this edition stands as a testament to their perseverance, and intellectual growth. May these pages inspire you, surprise you, and remind you of how powerful a learning journey becomes when creativity and revision go hand in hand.