Fact of the Day: A nap should be about fifteen to thirty minutes in duration.
A nap should ideally last between 15 and 30 minutes to be most effective. This short window allows your body to rest and recharge without entering the deeper stages of sleep.
Going beyond 30 minutes increases the chance of slipping into delta sleep, or deep sleep, which plays a vital role in physical recovery and memory consolidation, but comes at a cost if cut short. Waking from delta sleep can be disorienting and lead to sleep inertia, a period of grogginess, mental fog, and reduced performance that may last up to an hour.
Keeping naps brief helps you feel refreshed and alert rather than sluggish. If you’re particularly sleep-deprived and need a longer rest, consider a 90-minute nap, which allows your body to complete a full sleep cycle—including light, deep, and REM sleep—reducing the risk of grogginess upon waking.
For best results, try napping earlier in the day (before 3pm) to avoid disrupting your nighttime sleep.
Source: TED / Youtube.
