The Perfect Nap

Have you ever wondered if you are napping correctly? As a student, I often think about this exact topic! While aiming for quality sleep lasting 7-9 hours per night is important, naps can be a good way to supplement this during busy periods of life. Naps can also be a great way to boost your energy, productivity, and even improve your mood.

Before we get into the best way to nap, it is important to understand some brief theory about sleep. It is generally recommended that adults engage in 7-9 hours of sleep per night, for adolescents up to 10 hours of sleep may be needed. During sleep, we go through sleep cycles which last on average for 90-minutes. Part of this sleep cycle is called rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, we usually dream during this time and body remains relatively still when this occurs. Often people may feel more rested waking up between sleep cycles, rather than in the middle of a cycle. It should also be noted that some people need more sleep, or less sleep, and that everybody’s sleep schedule is different. There is no perfect way to sleep.

What is the Ideal Timing and Length of a Nap?

Ideally, naps should occur between 1-3pm, however, a window from 12-4pm is OK (this will vary for shift workers). Napping after 5pm may impact the sleep for the night ahead and it is important to keep this in mind when deciding when to nap. The length of the nap is up to you; however, different nap lengths have different outcomes. Generally, naps longer than 30-minutes are entering sleep territory, and should be limited. You can nap anywhere that you feel comfortable, however, a dark and quiet space is ideal. Don’t forget to set an alarm to avoid missing any important appointments!

• 20–30-minute nap: This length of nap is ideal for raising energy levels and boosting productivity. However, if you are feeling particularly tired, a longer nap may be needed to ensure you wake up feeling refreshed.
• 90-minutes: This is the approximate length of a full sleep cycle and is ideal for reducing fatigue, if you are particularly tired this can be very beneficial. However, some may wake up from a nap of this length feeling foggy. Due to this, if you are planning a short sleep, it may be important to leave a window of 20-minutes (approx.) between waking from your nap and engaging in the next activity.
• 2–3-hours: While this may sound ideal, much like a 90-minute sleep, you may wake up feeling foggy. Despite this, if your body is telling you take an extended nap, sometimes you need to do just that. Again, leaving a window of 20-minutes (approx.) between waking from your nap and engaging in the next activity is recommended. If you find you are doing this regularly, it may be a good idea to discuss this with your psychologist or GP.

Conclusion

While there is no substitute for a quality 7–9-hour sleep, naps are an effective tool to help in maintaining your energy, productivity, focus, and mood throughout the day. Allowing your body time to rest is important, and a short (or occasional long) nap can make all the difference.

You can find out more about sleep here: https://www.sleephealthfoundation.org.au/sleep-topics/napping

‍