#Best nap durations how to
#Best nap durations plus

Since these naps include slow-wave sleep, they can help to improve memory and decision-making skills, and aid in recalling information. While naps ranging from 30 to 60 minutes often lead to sleep inertia, they still provide benefits. Sleep inertia can last anywhere between a few minutes up to a few hours and is a disadvantage for naps lasting this long. Waking up in the middle of these stages can cause sleep inertia, the transitional stage between sleep and wakefulness, which is associated with feeling groggy and disoriented. 30 to 60 MinutesĪ nap lasting between 30 and 60 minutes will send your body into the third and fourth stages of sleep when our bodies begin to relax more deeply and we experience slow-wave sleep. Often, waking up from a power nap will be easy and you’ll likely feel refreshed and recharged. They boost alertness and performance levels, and can decrease any feelings of sleepiness. While short in duration, power naps provide immediate benefits. These stages of sleep are the easiest to wake from because they are the lightest of all the stages. During a power nap, you stay in the first two stages of non-rapid eye movement. Often referred to as a power nap, a short 10- to 20-minute nap is great for boosting energy and alertness. There are benefits to various lengths of naps and if done right, napping won’t cause drowsiness. The length of time we nap will dictate which stage of sleep we wake up in, affecting whether we feel refreshed or groggy. When napping, we may not even complete one cycle of sleep. During a typical night of sleep, we complete roughly five sleep cycles. A normal sleep cycle averages 90 minutes in length, and it begins in the lighter stages of sleep before entering deep sleep and eventually REM (rapid eye movement). The length of a nap matters greatly because sleep happens in cycles.

#Best nap durations plus

In this article, we explain the different lengths of naps and the benefits and drawbacks of each, plus tips for enjoying a good, quality nap.

#Best nap durations how to

Knowing the different effects napping can produce will help you determine when and how to best nap. In some cases, longer naps can make you feel groggy, and napping too late in the day disrupts your sleep schedule and makes it difficult to doze off at night. The length and timing of a nap, however, will affect the benefits reaped.

Napping has been proven to help lower stress, boost energy, and even lower rates of cardiovascular disease and inflammation, among other benefits. adults who nap, then you’ve likely experienced the many advantages that come with catching a midday snooze.