You feel more awake and rejuvenated when you wake up. Sleeping for more than 20 minutes might make you feel sluggish, sleepy, and weary than before, but if you have the time, you can sleep for 90 minutes to complete a full sleep cycle. After that, you will feel re-energized.
People who regularly take naps say they feel more alert and focused when they wake up. Napping is also said to relieve stress and restore lost energy. Scientists think that sleeping for a long period of time helps your body repair itself by giving it time to grow new cells and release hormones. It also gives your brain time to process what happened while you were asleep.
Some people claim that taking a nap makes them feel better able to deal with the daily challenges life brings. Napping may be particularly useful if you need to get over a cold or injury, or if you've been working at a computer all day.
Others say that napping makes them feel groggy when they wake up. This usually lasts only for a few hours after your sleep period ends, though in some cases it can last longer. People who nap frequently report feeling tired after just a few hours of sleep.
Napping during times when you don't need to be as alert such as late at night or early in the morning reduces its benefits.
Limiting your naps to 10 to 20 minutes each day will help you feel more awake and refreshed. More than that, especially more than 30 minutes, is likely to leave you feeling sluggish, sleepy, and exhausted than you were before you closed your eyes.
When you wake up from a good night's sleep, you'll feel revitalized and ready to take on the day. This is why people who don't get enough sleep often feel like they need more sleep later in the day when they do fall asleep. But there are other factors too, such as the amount of sleep you need every night, which we'll discuss below.
Your body needs time to recover from all those hours spent sleeping, so make sure you're letting it have this time. A short nap can give you a boost of energy and may even help prevent headaches or fatigue patterns from developing. Napping also shows those poor body parts what they've been missing out on!
The recommended amount of sleep for adults is seven to nine hours per day. This includes daytime sleeps as well as nighttime sleeps. Some people can function with less sleep but they're at risk of being involved in accidents because their brains aren't fully functioning yet. Others cannot function properly without getting at least eight hours per day. If you're one of these people, then you need to make sure you're allowing yourself enough sleep.
Adults should take 20 or 90 minute naps, according to the National Sleep Foundation. This is why: Naps lasting 10–20 minutes are often known as "power naps." These little sleeps enable you to awaken feeling refreshed, invigorated, and attentive. Naps of this length have a restorative effect on brain function that resembles that of a full night's sleep.
Naps longer than 30 minutes are called "prolonged naps." The more time you can spend asleep, the better it is for your body. A 40-minute power nap will leave you refreshed upon awakening. A 60-minute prolonged nap will give you the same benefits as a full night's sleep.
As for everyone else, including children, the optimal nap length is 50 minutes. This gives your brain enough time to refresh itself while your body gets a chance to catch up on its required amount of sleep.
Short naps can be good for you, especially if you struggle with insomnia. If you know you need to be awake for some reason during these times, such as when driving in traffic, it's best to just get out of bed so you don't waste any time sleeping.
Long naps are great for restoring energy levels after a long day at work or school. It's also recommended that adults get at least seven hours of sleep per night.
Sleep for no more than 30 minutes: A 20-minute nap is great, but no more than 30 minutes is recommended. This prevents the body from entering deeper phases of sleep and protects a person from waking up drowsy.
Sleep for more than 60 minutes: If you want to feel better after you wake up, if you suffer from insomnia or if you just need to recharge your batteries, then go ahead and get some more intense sleep sessions in once in a while. A 90-minute nap will do the trick.
Napping during the day comes with its own set of rules. You should never nap for longer than an hour without first getting adequate amount of good-quality sleep at night. Otherwise, you'll be doing yourself harm - especially if you do it often.
Naps that last less than 15 minutes are called "fidgety naps" and those that last between 15 and 30 minutes are called "half-hour naps". Naps that last more than 30 minutes are called "long naps".
People who work on computers should try to take breaks every two hours by standing up, moving around, even taking a short walk. These breaks reduce stress and increase energy levels.
Set an alarm: According to studies, the ideal nap length for most people is 10–20 minutes. This results in a restful sleep with no tiredness upon awakening. You may counteract sleep inertia by reducing the amount of time you spend sleeping if you want to feel alert and productive following your nap.
Take a power nap: If you have only a short amount of time, it's recommended that you take a 20-minute nap. This will give you the maximum amount of energy while still allowing you to function during the day. Making sure not to sleep longer than 20 minutes is important so that you don't feel groggy when you wake up.
Sleep until feeling tired: Some people can fall asleep even after very little sleep due to their high levels of activity during the day, while others need more sleep per unit of time. If you fall into the second category, then you should try to go to bed later and get at least seven hours of sleep each night. However, if this makes you too sleepy during the day, then it's best to stick to a regular schedule and get up at the same time every morning.
So, how long should you sleep to get energy? It depends on your level of activity and how much sleep you're getting already. But overall, we recommend going to bed late and getting up early, as this method allows you to use the time in between sleeps to recover and prepare for the next day.