Napping

Best time of day for a nap

tl;dr: Depends on the person. Before or after lunch (ideally after). Roughly any time in the afternoon.

• All humans have a biological dip in alertness around the afternoon

  • Trigger for nap

  • Typically triggered for time after meal (lunch)

• The optimal time in the day to lay down your head to rest is between noon and 4 p.m. (source)

• The best time to take a nap for most people is either right before lunch, around 12:30 p.m., or during the post-lunch dip, around 2 p.m. (source)

Notes

• The best nap length in most situations is one that is long enough to be refreshing but not so long that sleep inertia occurs. Naps lasting 10 to 20 minutes are considered the ideal length. (source)

  • They are sometimes referred to as “power naps” because they provide recovery benefits without leaving the napper feeling sleepy afterward. (source)

• 20-90 minutes. No more than 90 minutes (source: Huberman)

• It helps to nap in a comfortable space that is dark, cool, and quiet. (source)

• Short naps around the afternoon can be beneficial

  • If you're waking up groggy from naps, you're not getting enough sleep at night

• Indigenous tribes today show pattern for this -- i.e. 7-7.5 hours sleep at night, 30mins around afternoon

  • Some switch -- nap schedule in summer months, full sleep at night in winter months

• Study in Greece, when siesta culture disappeared, showed 35% worse heart health and shorter lifespans once people stopped napping

  • Nearby island that stayed with siestas live longer

  • n.b.: Don't know how much of this was the lack of a nap, vs. they just were losing sleep and never adjusted their nighttime routine to make up for it

• To get the most out of your brief sleep, carve out a space that is inviting and separate from other responsibilities (source)

• Robbins suggests closing the blinds, surrounding yourself with cozy bedding and visuals. (source)

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