Guide
How to nap without waking up worse
4 min read · Last updated · By Infinity Tools
A good nap can rescue an afternoon. A bad one leaves you groggier than before, with a headache and the strange feeling that you've lost a day. The difference usually comes down to how long you sleep and when.
Go short or go long, but not in between
There are two kinds of nap that tend to work.
The power nap: about 20 minutes. Researchers say 20 minutes is the best nap length (National Sleep Foundation). You stay in light sleep, so you wake up fairly easily and feel sharper for the next few hours. This is the one for a lunch break or the gap between classes.
The full-cycle nap: about 90 minutes. That's long enough to go through a whole sleep cycle, deep sleep and REM included, and come out the other side in light sleep (National Sleep Foundation). It's useful after a short night, but you need to have the time.
The trouble zone is in the middle, somewhere around 30 to 60 minutes. That's when you're most likely to be in deep sleep when the alarm goes off, and that's where the fog of sleep inertia comes from (National Sleep Foundation).
Count the time it takes to drift off
If you usually need ten or fifteen minutes to fall asleep, add that to the alarm. A "20-minute nap" that starts with fifteen minutes of staring at the ceiling is really a five-minute nap.
Earlier is better
Try to nap before 2 p.m. Most sleep researchers recommend it, so the nap has less impact on your nighttime sleep (National Sleep Foundation). A late-afternoon nap uses up the sleepiness you need at bedtime, and then you're back to lying awake at midnight.
The coffee nap
Some people swear by this one. Drink a cup of coffee, then lie down straight away for a 20-minute nap. Caffeine takes a while to kick in, so it starts working around the time you wake up and may help you avoid the groggy feeling of sleep inertia (National Sleep Foundation). It isn't for everyone, especially if caffeine already messes with your sleep, but it's worth a try on a slow afternoon.
If you need a nap every day
If you can't get through the day without one, that's often a sign you aren't getting enough sleep at night. Naps can patch the gap, but fixing your night-time sleep usually works better. And if you're very sleepy during the day even after a full night in bed, mention it to your doctor.
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General information only, not medical advice. If sleep problems are affecting your day-to-day life, talk to a doctor.