A good nap can sharpen your focus, lift your mood and help you get through an afternoon slump. A badly timed one can leave you feeling worse than before. The difference is almost always the length.
Want your exact times?
Open the sleep calculatorNap lengths compared
| Nap length | What happens | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| 10–20 min | Stays in light sleep | Focus and alertness, no grogginess |
| 30 min | May start to enter deeper sleep | A short rest, mild grogginess possible |
| 60 min | Usually ends in deep sleep | Memory, but expect grogginess |
| 90 min | One full sleep cycle | Recovering after a short night |
Remember to add the time it takes you to fall asleep. If you usually need 10 minutes, set a 30-minute alarm for a 20-minute nap.
The 20-minute power nap
A short nap keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep, so you wake up quickly and feel more alert. It's the best choice before a drive, a meeting or an afternoon of work.
Why 60-minute naps feel bad
After about 30 minutes you start to enter deep sleep. Wake up during it and you get sleep inertia: a heavy, confused feeling that can last 15 to 30 minutes. A 60-minute nap often ends right in the middle of this stage.
The 90-minute full-cycle nap
A 90-minute nap lets you complete a full cycle, including deep sleep and REM, and wake up during light sleep. It's useful after a short night, but it can make it harder to fall asleep at bedtime if you take it late in the day.
Tips for better naps
- Nap early in the afternoon, ideally before 3 PM, so it doesn't affect your night's sleep.
- Set an alarm and get up when it rings.
- Find a dark, quiet spot, or use an eye mask.
- Try a coffee nap: drink a coffee right before a 20-minute nap. Caffeine takes about 20 minutes to kick in, so you wake up just as it starts working.