Napping: The Practical To-Do List
Napping: what is worth doing, what is worth avoiding, and when to stop and see a doctor.
Short daytime sleep, and how its length and timing change whether it helps or hinders. Ten to twenty minutes improves alertness; thirty to sixty can leave you groggy, and late naps use up the sleep pressure you need that night.
Key takeaways
- Short nap for alertness: 10-20 minutes
- Length that commonly causes grogginess: 30-60 minutes
- Most useful single change: Keep naps to 10-20 minutes and set an alarm.
- Commonest mistake: Napping 30 to 60 minutes if you need to function immediately after.
- See a doctor if any of the signs under "When to speak to a doctor" below apply to you.
Do
- Keep naps to 10-20 minutes and set an alarm
- Nap in the early afternoon rather than late
- Nap before a night shift or a long drive
- Treat a persistent need to nap as something to get checked
Do not
- Napping 30 to 60 minutes if you need to function immediately after
- Napping late in the day if you struggle to sleep at night
- Driving while fighting sleep; pull over somewhere safe and nap first
The numbers behind the list
The reasoning behind both lists, in numbers.
| Measure | Figure |
|---|---|
| Short nap for alertness | 10-20 minutes |
| Length that commonly causes grogginess | 30-60 minutes |
| Full sleep cycle | about 90 minutes |
| Best window | early afternoon, roughly 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. |
| Caffeine nap | coffee immediately before a 20-minute nap |
If you change one thing
Keep naps to 10-20 minutes and set an alarm. Start there. The rest of the list keeps.
Related topics
- What the Guidance Really Says About Sleep and the Brain (Brain Health)
- What the Guidance Really Says About Shift Work and Health (Workplace Health)
- Teen Sleep: What Published Guidance Supports (Teen Health)
- What the Guidance Really Says About Sleep and Chronic Pain (Chronic Pain)
Where to go next
- Napping: A Beginner-Friendly Start
- Answers to the Common Questions on Napping
- Napping — the reference entry
- Sleep: The Complete Guide
- The Body Clock: Sorting the Evidence From the Noise
- The Sleep Environment: What Published Guidance Supports
When to speak to a doctor
See your doctor if you need to nap daily despite enough time in bed, if you fall asleep without meaning to, or if you have sudden muscle weakness with strong emotion, which can be a sign of narcolepsy. Do not drive while excessively sleepy, and call 911 for someone who cannot be woken or is breathing abnormally.
Where this comes from
- National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke — Narcolepsy
- American Academy of Sleep Medicine — Healthy Sleep Habits
How this page was put together
Every figure, recommendation and warning above is taken from the guidance named in Where this comes from. Nothing on this page is inferred, summarized or generalized beyond what those bodies publish: where they give a number, it is their number, and where they are silent, so are we. Pages are rebuilt whenever the underlying record changes. Sign-off by a named clinician, where it has happened, is shown at the top of the page along with the date.
Medical disclaimer
This article is general information, not medical advice. It cannot account for your own history, medication or circumstances. Always speak to your doctor, pharmacist or another qualified health professional before making changes that affect your treatment, and never delay seeking medical advice because of something you have read here. In an emergency, call 911.
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