How Long Should You Nap? It Depends

As our good buddy Aaron Paul is fond of saying...."It's science Beeotch!!!"  And that is even true when it comes to the correct amount of time to take a nap.

Sleep experts say a short 15 to 20 minute power nap gives you the best “bang for your buck,” and to be more alert after you wake.  But depending on what you want the nap to do for you,  other duration lengths might be better for different things you might be wanting to accomplish.

“If you take it longer than 30 minutes, you end up in deep sleep. Have you ever taken a nap and felt worse when you woke up? That’s what’s happening.  You are sleeping too long and you’re going into a stage of sleep that’s difficult to wake up from.

For cognitive memory processing, a 60-minute nap may do more good.  A 60 minute nap will help with remembering facts, places and faces. The downside though is after sleeping for this duration, you will experience some sluggishness upon waking.

Finally, the 90-minute nap will likely involve a full cycle of sleep, which aids creativity and emotional and procedural memory, such as learning how to ride a bike. Waking up after REM sleep usually means less time waking and being fully awake and aware.

In fact, a study published in PubMed in 2002 found that napping even for 5-10 minutes creates a heightened sense of alertness and increased cognitive ability in comparison to no nap.  So really, you want to be taking a 10-20 minute nap for a quick recharge, or a 60-90 minute nap for a deep sleep rejuvenation.

In addition to those recommendations, one surprising suggestion is to sit slightly upright during your nap, because it will help you avoid a deep sleep. And if you find yourself dreaming during your power naps, it may be a sign you’re sleep deprived.

.....Like I needed a study to tell me that.