A quick nap can improve your performance, make you more alert, and uplifts your mood. So, the key to napping is to keep them short, that is, around 15 to 20 minutes to keep yourself from going too deep into the sleep cycle.
Try an afternoon nap: While napping is not a replacement for lost sleep, it can help you feel more rested during the day. Naps may be particularly helpful for shift workers or people who have trouble maintaining a consistent sleep schedule. Even a short power nap can refresh the body and brain.
Studies show that napping does more than just reduce fatigue. It can elevate your mood, improve productivity and make it easier for you to learn and retain new information.
Naps for adults should be no more than an hour and probably best kept to the 15- to 20-minute range. Anything beyond that – especially considering the time of day – could have consequences. We caught up with sleep medicine specialist Nancy Foldvary-Schaefer, DO, MS, for more insight on how long your nap should be.
Most of the time, catching even just a few zzz's is better than nothing. When you truly have less than one hour, power napping for 20 minutes might be your best option. However, if you have the time, try to make it through one 90-minute cycle so you can be more alert until you can catch up on rest.
2-Hour Naps and 3-Hour Naps
A 2 hour nap and 3 hour nap seem great but chances are, napping for this prolonged period may have more ill effects than better. You may feel more groggy after a 2 hour nap, and may suffer insomnia that night after a 3 hour nap. The best nap length when sleep-deprived is up to 90 minutes.
Sleeping beyond the 90-minute cycle may mean you fall deeper into your sleep cycle and will find it much harder to wake up. The best answer to this question is that some sleep is always better than none. Trying to get in a power nap or achieving that full 90-minute cycle is better for you than no sleep at all.
Think of napping as a practiced skill — it takes time to master. I committed to becoming a napper. And trained like a pro. Over 3 months (approx 20–25 naps) I taught myself to nap.
The Bottom Line on the Navy SEAL Power Nap
A power nap (the Navy SEAL version with your legs elevated, or a more typical lying-down-flat version) can definitely be beneficial if you find yourself drowsy during the day, but don't use it as a substitute for getting the nighttime sleep you need on a regular basis.
What is The 30-90 Rule? The 30-90 rule is a guideline for taking a good nap without feeling groggy afterward. It states that naps should last 30 minutes or less — OR be at least 90 minutes long, in order to improve physical health and cognitive performance.
Naps and Sleep Deprivation
"You can get incredible benefits from 15 to 20 minutes of napping," she says. "You reset the system and get a burst of alertness and increased motor performance. That's what most people really need to stave off sleepiness and get an energy boost."
Taking a 15-minute power nap is the best way to get you out of a groggy mood because it will not interfere with your work schedule and won't disrupt your sleep inertia. Sleep-deprived people might benefit more from an earlier nap, while people who are not sleep-deprived might benefit from a later nap.
Many experts recommend the 2-3-4 approach for babies needing two daytime snoozes. It works by gradually increasing the time between naps throughout the day: two hours of staying awake before the first nap, three hours between the first and second naps, and four hours before bedtime.
For most people, the best time to take a nap is either just before or during the post-lunch dip. The post-lunch dip is the period of decreased alertness and productivity often experienced after a midday meal. As a result, a brief snooze around 12:30 p.m. or around 2 p.m. may reduce afternoon sleepiness.
Nap during the early afternoon
Longer naps, especially after 3 p.m., can mess up your nighttime sleep schedule, so it's more beneficial to you to nap between the hours of 1 p.m. and 3 p.m.
According to Willink, the key to his nap is to “elevate your feet above your heart and then set your alarm for eight minutes.” He says that 10 minutes is the longest he likes to nap, and a 12-minute nap would leave him feeling a little bit groggy when he wakes.
There's no medical definition for a power nap, Dr. Gurevich says. But in general, the term refers to short naps ranging from about 10 to 30 minutes. A power nap that lasts 20 to 30 minutes is usually ideal.
According to Willink, you have to “elevate your feet above your heart and then set your alarm for eight minutes, and afterwards he feels like “superman”. Science-wise, keeping your legs elevated can help blood flow, promoting faster sleep.
Napping isn't just for babies. Studies show that an afternoon nap is great for adults, too. There's no need to feel lazy for indulging in daytime sleep.
A coffee nap is just what it sounds like, coffee combined with a nap. It might seem counterintuitive to combine caffeine with sleep. But caffeine followed by a brief nap has been shown to improve alertness and mental acuity in several studies. For coffee naps to work, both timing and sequence are important.