How long best nap

On the whole, naps reduce drowsiness and increase alertness. Different nap lengths have varying benefits in terms of mood, alertness, and performance. If you need to stay sharp, feel confident, or internalize new information, try a power nap of minutes. Meanwhile, more sophisticated thinking skills like planning, organizing, and analyzing will need a longer snooze of minutes. Similarly, creative-thinking and emotion-processing skills rely on rapid eye movement REM sleep, which typically appears in long naps of at least 60 minutes.

The longer you snooze, the more lasting the nap benefits are. According to the Journal of Progress in Brain Research , the advantages of short naps usually peter out after one to three hours, while those of longer naps can last up to several hours. That being said, because catnaps are less likely to set off slow-wave sleep deep sleep , the trade-off is little to no sleep inertia.

You probably won't feel groggy upon awakening. Short naps may be more ideal if you have to hit the ground running the moment you wake up. Meanwhile, the odds of deep sleep are higher with longer naps — a minute nap has 7. This makes grogginess a likely side effect of extended shut-eye. Ever envy someone for nodding off the moment they close their eyes?

It could be a sign of high sleep debt or an indication of their sleepability — how good a napper they are. The scientific literature highlights some people have "high sleepability without sleepiness," meaning that they are very good at napping even when they aren't sleep-deprived. More research among elite athletes further supports the concept of sleeping on demand, in which case, the ease of napping is not necessarily a sign of high sleep debt.

Before your next nap, think about where you rank on the sleepability scale. If you can't nap as and when you like, add some buffer time to account for sleep latency how long you take to fall asleep. For example, if you want to take a minute nap but know that you roughly need minutes to doze off, free up minutes in your schedule to make time for your siesta. But you may be surprised to learn there is a wrong way to nap.

To understand the risk, we need to look at sleep homeostasis, a process that balances your biological urges for sleep and wakefulness. Every moment that you are awake, a drowsiness-inducing compound known as adenosine builds up in your brain. Rising levels of adenosine positively correlate to increasing sleep pressure, which helps you fall asleep at night or during a daytime nap.

During sleep, your brain purges adenosine, relieving sleep pressure. When you nap too close to your target bedtime, you are more likely to enter deep sleep and diminish too much sleep pressure. Naturally, you find it much harder to drift off during your Melatonin Window at night the window of time in which your body produces peak levels of melatonin, a sleep-promoting hormone.

You end up tossing and turning in bed due to increased sleep latency you take longer to fall asleep. Consequently, you rack up even more sleep debt than the previous day. To avoid this undesirable scenario, research advocates for napping during the afternoon dip of your circadian rhythm your internal body clock , which usually occurs between early to late afternoon.

This is the window of time when sleep latency is at its lowest and daytime sleepiness is at its highest, making it that much easier to nod off. Also, napping too late in the day may make it hard for them to get to sleep at night. People who have difficulty falling or staying asleep may wish to try using sleep aids. Various over-the-counter, prescription, and natural sleep aids….

However, making some simple changes to sleep habits can…. Sleeping with earplugs is usually safe. One potential risk of using them regularly is earwax buildup, but people can treat most complications with…. Many people prefer to wear pajamas or another type of comfortable attire in bed. However, sleeping naked can help keep the body cool, which may…. How long is the ideal nap? Medically reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, Ph.

Duration Sleep cycle Children Benefits Tips Summary Taking a nap in the afternoon can serve as a reset button for some people, allowing them to wake up feeling refreshed and ready to finish their day. How long should a nap be? Share on Pinterest For the most benefit, a person should aim to nap for 20 minutes. Naps and the sleep cycle.

How long should children nap? Share on Pinterest Finding a quiet place to lie down makes it easier to nap. Latest news Could 'cupping' technique boost vaccine delivery? Scientists identify new cause of vascular injury in type 2 diabetes. Adolescent depression: Could school screening help? Related Coverage. In addition to getting some downtime away from the hustle and bustle of your everyday life, napping allows you to reap a myriad of benefits in 90 minutes or less.

However, unlike energy derived from caffeine, the rejuvenating power of a nap benefits your whole body, increasing your learning capacity, overall sleep and memory recall. Lack of sleep is a prevalent problem that can have a number of negative short-term and long-term effects. And according to the U. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention , 1 in 3 American adults are not getting enough regular sleep.

One of the most dominant downsides of lack of sleep is stress. Even though the human body is hard-wired to handle stress, constant worry and tension can put you at risk of countless health problems, including anxiety, depression, heart disease, and memory impairment. By making an effort to squeeze nap time into your busy schedule, you may effectively reduce your stress levels and begin to balance out your sleep troubles. Getting quality sleep can help regulate and reduce the production of cortisol the stress hormone and promote faster immune system recovery—leaving you feeling more emotionally stable and ready to tackle the rest of your day.

In fact, a study conducted at NASA surveyed the cognitive effect of napping on military pilots and astronauts. In addition to feeling refreshed and ready to tackle the rest of the day, a good nap can elevate your mood. Studies have found that taking a nap can increase frustration tolerance, reduce impulsivity, and boost productivity.

With tiredness typically comes irritability, so when you take the time to recharge, you can effectively turn your mood and day around. Ready for a nap? Mastering the art of the power nap takes a little bit of know-how and a healthy dose of practice.