There's nothing quite like a good nap. Done right, it can sharpen your focus and lift your mood. Done wrong, you wake up groggy, foggy, and wide awake at bedtime.
Naps are especially handy after a short night or when the mid-afternoon slump hits. The trick is getting the timing right.
Why shorter naps work better
The longer you nap, the more likely you are to slip into deeper sleep. Waking up from it can leave you feeling heavy and disoriented, a feeling called sleep inertia.
Keeping it short helps you wake up before that happens. In one study, a 10-minute nap gave people the biggest boost, with benefits lasting up to about 2.5 hours, while 30-minute naps left them groggy at first.¹
Even pilots rely on the power nap. NASA found that crew who took a short planned rest on long flights stayed more alert than those who didn't.²
When a nap is a sign of something more
An occasional long nap is nothing to worry about. But if you regularly need an hour or more of daytime sleep, it may be a sign that your nights aren't giving you what you need. Regular long naps have been linked to higher health risks, so it's worth mentioning to your doctor.³
Try today
- Keep it short. Aim for 10 to 20 minutes.¹
- Go early. Nap in the early afternoon so it doesn't eat into tonight's sleep.
- Make it easy. Find a quiet, dim spot and give yourself a few minutes to settle.
- Set a gentle alarm. It helps you wake up before you sink too deep. Try setting a timer on the Sleepwave app for naps and wake up fresh.
- Check your nights. If naps are becoming a daily need, look at your Sleep Goal in Sleepwave to see whether your nights are falling short.
A good nap is a top-up, not a replacement. Let your night's sleep do the heavy lifting.
References
- Brooks A, Lack L. A brief afternoon nap following nocturnal sleep restriction: which nap duration is most recuperative? Sleep. 2006;29(6):831–840. doi:10.1093/sleep/29.6.831. https://doi.org/10.1093/sleep/29.6.831
- Rosekind MR, Graeber RC, Dinges DF, et al. Crew Factors in Flight Operations IX: Effects of Planned Cockpit Rest on Crew Performance and Alertness in Long-Haul Operations. NASA Technical Memorandum 108839. NASA Ames Research Center; 1994. https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19950006379
- Yamada T, Hara K, Shojima N, Yamauchi T, Kadowaki T. Daytime napping and the risk of cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality: a prospective study and dose-response meta-analysis. Sleep. 2015;38(12):1945–1953. doi:10.5665/sleep.5246. https://doi.org/10.5665/sleep.5246
