how long should i nap?
depends on your sleep type

The benefits of naps

Considering the hectic pace of modern life, and considering that most people are at least a little sleep deprived on any given day, napping is a great way to squeeze in some of the rest that your body and mind need. Surprisingly, short naps can give you a natural boost of energy that will help you get through the rest of the day. Among the biggest pluses you’ll find after waking up from a nap:

• Increased alertness
• Increased productivity
• Increased creativity
• Better critical thinking and reasoning
• Better mood and decreased irritability

The question is how long should I nap? According to a NASA study on sleep among military and astronaut pilots, a nap of 40 minutes increased alertness by 100% and job performance by 34%.

How long should I nap?  Depends on the kind of sleeper

Before you start mapping out nap pods all over your neighborhood, first figure out what your natural sleep pattern is. Mammals have two primary types of sleep schedules: polyphasic, meaning they sleep less at night and more in a series of naps throughout the day, and mono- phasic, which involves sleeping at a set time every day. Humans are generally monophasic sleepers: We sleep when it’s dark and are awake when it’s light. But 85% of other mammals are polyphasic sleepers, so if you usually have trouble staying asleep at night and have always struggled to sleep soundly through the night, you may be biphasic or polyphasic by nature.

To find out how long you should nap, we need to test if you are prone to biphasic or polyphasic sleep, the best thing to do is take a 45- to 90-minute nap and see how you feel when you wake up. If you are refreshed and ready to take on the world, then you are inclined to polyphasic sleep. If you wake up from that 90-minute test nap feeling groggy, you’re one of the monophasic crowd. You should avoid taking naps longer than 20 to 30 minutes, since they can throw off your nighttime sleep schedule.

Unfortunately, those of you who have polyphasic tendencies may not be able to take those extended naps on a daily basis. However, when you can go ahead—those 45 to 90 minute periods of rest will take you through an entire sleep cycle, including the REM sleep that allows your brain to reset itself.

All hail, the power nap

The good news is that the 20- to 30-minute naps that monophasic sleepers enjoy have such widespread noticeable effects that they’ve achieved iconic nickname status: the power nap. When planning for how long should I should nap, know a short power nap doesn’t send you into a full sleep cycle but provides you with a boost of energy. A study published in Nature Neuroscience showed that when you’re dragging through the day and need to focus fast, it isn’t coffee you should reach for but a pillow—that’s because a nap is better than caffeine in terms of increasing your level of alertness.

Look around sometime and you’ll start to notice workers in all fields using power naps to recharge for the next phase of their day, whether it’s a lawyer who can close an office door after lunch, a store clerk stepping out to their car for some Z’s on a break, or a tech startup employee who can stretch out on a couch in the breakroom.

Training yourself to nap

Of course, it isn’t just a matter of declaring, “I’m taking a nap now.” If you have trouble sleeping at night, you might also have trouble training yourself to nap. Most people are conditioned to not sleep during the day, so it can take time to overcome that convention to stay to awake.

The first step in training yourself to nap is to pick a consistent time. It can be during any break in the day, at lunch, or whenever you are usually at your lowest energy point, which is 3 p.m. for most people.

Next, location, location, location. Maybe you are going to nap in your car, or maybe your office has a designated place for naps. If you have an office of your own, let your colleagues know you will be unavailable for a period of time, close the door, and nap at your desk.

Ideally, you will sit quietly or lie down for 15 to 20 minutes. You may not be able to nap at first, but if you repeat the process of going to your nap spot each day and get into the habit of being still for a regular period of time, you will start to notice that you’ll become tired at that time each day, and eventually, you will be able to nap.

Upgrade your nap

Other than knowing how long should I nap, it comes to napping accessories, a comfy pillow and an eye mask should be the first improvements to your napping environment—both can have a big impact on improving your overall comfort.

And as with easing you into nighttime sleep, essential oils can further your progress when you are training yourself to nap each day. Applying a couple of drops of a relaxing essential oil to the inside of your wrists or using an essential oil room spray can relax you enough to fall asleep for short time, even in the middle of the day.

Essential oil–diffusing jewelry is a fantastic choice for nappers too because you can wear it as a reminder throughout the day. Place a couple of drops on a diffuser pad, tuck it into the slot in the piece, and hold it near your nose—just be sure to remove the pad when you wake up!

Much like for sleeping at night, certain essential oils are better for napping than others:

• Lavender
• Bergamot
• Ylang-ylang
• Vetiver
• Sandalwood
• Clary sage
• Chamomile
• Orange
• Rosemary

But you don’t need to stick with only one oil. You can mix essential oils together to find your signature sleeping cocktail or buy blended oils that are designed to destress.

UPGRADE YOUR NAP

Other than knowing how long should I nap, it comes to napping accessories, a comfy pillow and an eye mask should be the first improvements to your napping environment—both can have a big impact on improving your overall comfort.

And as with easing you into nighttime sleep, essential oils can further your progress when you are training yourself to nap each day. Applying a couple of drops of a relaxing essential oil to the inside of your wrists or using an essential oil room spray can relax you enough to fall asleep for short time, even in the middle of the day.

Essential oil–diffusing jewelry is a fantastic choice for nappers too because you can wear it as a reminder throughout the day. Place a couple of drops on a diffuser pad, tuck it into the slot in the piece, and hold it near your nose—just be sure to remove the pad when you wake up!

Much like for sleeping at night, certain essential oils are better for napping than others:

• Lavender
• Bergamot
• Ylang-ylang
• Vetiver
• Sandalwood
• Clary sage
• Chamomile
• Orange
• Rosemary

But you don’t need to stick with only one oil. You can mix essential oils together to find your signature sleeping cocktail or buy blended oils that are designed to destress.

Breaking the stigma

You might find it easier to train yourself to take a power nap when you know your company approves of the practice and you won’t get in trouble for sleeping on the job. Even though there is ample evidence that naps are a healthy way to boost energy and be healthier, there is definitely still a stigma about napping during the day. Many people are so uncomfortable at the idea of being found napping at work that they can’t relax enough to actually do it.

To get more comfortable with the idea of napping during a work break, start by checking your employee handbook to see what your company’s policy on naps is. More companies these days are encouraging employees to take short naps during the day. Some larger corporations have gone so far as to create designated napping spaces or provide sleeping pods.

If your company doesn’t have a napping policy, consider approaching someone in your HR department to establish one. When you share all the information about the many benefits of power naps, you might be surprised to find them open to the idea.

Once you’re able to build a regular naptime into your day, you’ll see a huge increase in your health, productivity, creativity, and energy level and will no doubt wonder why you waited so long to find a way to sleep a little bit more!