Keep it short and sweet.
Reviewed by Dietitian Katey Davidson, M.Sc.FN, RD, CPT
Key Points
- Short naps of 10 to 30 minutes may boost energy without causing grogginess.
- Frequent daytime naps may signal poor sleep or an underlying health issue.
- Morning light, exercise, balanced meals and hydration can support daytime energy.
Some days, 2 p.m. rolls around, and you’re struggling to keep your eyes open. We’ve all been there. If you have the opportunity to close your eyes and drift off for a little while midday, sleep experts say a nap can help restore your energy and alertness for the rest of the day.
But an afternoon nap doesn’t make up for lost nighttime sleep. “A good nap isn’t supposed to replace nighttime sleep; it’s a strategic recharge,” says Michael J. Breus, Ph.D., DABSM. “Think of it as plugging your phone in for 20 minutes, not trying to recharge the entire battery.”
In other words, you don’t want your nap to accidentally turn into several hours of sleep. Napping too long can leave you feeling groggy when you wake up and may interfere with sleep later that night. Ahead, three sleep experts share how long to nap for more energy, along with other strategies to help you feel more energized throughout the day.
How Long Should You Nap?
There isn’t one perfect nap length for everyone. In fact, each expert we spoke with recommends a slightly different range.
“The sweet spot for most people is about 20 to 30 minutes, ideally during the natural afternoon dip between roughly 1 and 3 p.m.,” Breus says. “Longer naps can provide additional recovery, but they also increase the chance of waking up groggy.”
Breus is an especially big fan of a power nap: “Keep it short, about 20 to 25 minutes.”
Shelby Harris, Psy.D., DBSMrecommends an even shorter window. “A nap of about 10 to 20 minutes is usually ideal,” she says. “This length allows you to feel refreshed without entering deep sleep, so you wake up easily and avoid grogginess.”
Madhat Arnouk, MDrecommends a somewhat longer window of 30 to 60 minutes. However, he cautions against letting naps stretch too long, especially naps that occur in the late afternoon or early evening. Doing so can push bedtime later, shorten nighttime sleep or disrupt your normal circadian rhythm.
Once you go beyond 30 minutes, you may be more likely to wake during a deeper stage of sleep, which can lead to sleep inertia, or the groggy, disoriented feeling you may experience after waking. Breus notes that this can sometimes take up to an hour to wear off.
Research supports these nap lengths, showing that naps ranging from 10 to 60 minutes may help improve mood and alleviate sleepiness. Ultimately, the ideal length may vary from person to person. But if your goal is a quick energy boost without post-nap grogginess, keeping your nap on the shorter side may be your best bet.
Things to Keep in Mind Before Napping
Our sleep experts are all proponents of a good nap, but they recommend checking in with yourself to identify why you need one and how frequently you’re napping. The answers to these questions may offer clues about your nighttime sleep or overall health.
“Occasional naps are normal, but if you find yourself relying on naps just to get through the day, it’s worth taking a look at your sleep hygiene and overall routine,” Harris says. Here are a few expert-recommended considerations.
If You Need a Nap Every Day, Look at Your Nighttime Sleep
There’s a difference between choosing to nap because you enjoy it and may benefit from a little boost and needing one just to make it through the day.
“Napping can be a very effective way to reduce fatigue and restore alertness when it’s done correctly and under the right circumstances,” Breus says. “But needing a nap every day can sometimes be a clue that something else is going on.”
He recommends asking yourself an important question: Am I napping because I want to, or because I have to?
If you consistently wake up feeling unrested despite getting adequate sleep, your sleep environment or nighttime habits may be worth a closer look, Arnouk says. For instance, maybe your bedroom is too warm, you’re watching TV late or falling asleep with it on, a pet wakes you in the middle of the night or you’re drinking alcohol too close to bedtime. All of these factors can interfere with the quality or duration of your sleep.
Persistent Fatigue May Point to a Medical Condition
If you’re feeling exhausted despite consistently getting enough sleep, consider talking with your health care provider. Persistent fatigue can have many causes beyond insufficient sleep. Depending on your symptoms and health history, your provider may recommend blood work or other testing to help figure out what’s going on.
Some potential contributors to persistent fatigue or daytime sleepiness include:
- Nutrient deficiencies (e.g., vitamin D, vitamin B12, iron)
- Endocrine and metabolic issues (e.g., hypothyroidism, type 2 diabetes)
- Cardiovascular and pulmonary issues (e.g., heart disease, COPD)
- Inflammatory conditions (e.g., inflammatory bowel disease, arthritis)
- Infectious diseases (e.g., Lyme disease)
- Sleep disorders (e.g., sleep apnea, narcolepsy)
- Mental health conditions (e.g., depression, anxiety)
“Persistent fatigue still often needs sleep, mood and medical context alongside blood work, because blood tests alone do not explain most fatigue presentations,” Breus says. In other words, blood work may provide useful clues, but it’s only one piece of the puzzle.
“Do not ignore fatigue and chronic sleepiness,” Arnouk says, noting that several treatable medical conditions can contribute to these symptoms.
Other Tips for More Energy
A nap isn’t the only way to address an afternoon slump. These expert-recommended habits can help support steadier energy throughout the day:
- Get Morning Light. Natural light in the morning helps regulate your circadian rhythm, supporting daytime alertness and better sleep at night, Harris says.
- Move Your Body. Regular exercise can improve energy and sleep quality over time. Even a quick walk or movement break may help when you’re feeling sluggish.
- Eat Balanced Meals and Stay Hydrated. Skipping meals, blood sugar swings and dehydration can all contribute to fatigue or dips in energy.
- Be Strategic with Your Caffeine Consumption. Caffeine can boost alertness, but Breus recommends using it earlier in the day rather than relying on it as an all-day substitute for sleep.
- Reduce Alcohol Intake, Especially Close to Bedtime. “Alcohol can help you fall asleep initially but tends to fragment sleep later in the night, leading to less-restorative rest,” Harris says.
Our Expert Take
Sleep experts and research suggest that naps ranging from 10 to 60 minutes may help boost energy, though a shorter power nap may be less likely to leave you feeling groggy. Napping every day isn’t necessarily a problem, but needing a nap just to get through the day could signal that you’re not getting enough quality sleep at night. Persistent fatigue may also point to a nutrient deficiency, sleep disorder or other underlying health condition. Asking yourself why you’re napping can be a helpful first step in determining whether your nap habits may warrant a closer look by a health care professional.