Napping: Benefits, Optimal Duration, and Best Practices

What is a siesta?

A siesta is a short sleep generally taken in the early afternoon, often after lunch.

It enables:

• compensate for accumulated sleep debt,
• to rest up for the rest of the day.

Naps can vary in length, from a few minutes to an hour or more, and each type of nap has specific effects on the body and mind.

 

Why take a nap?

Taking a nap helps:

• reduce daytime sleepiness,
• to improve vigilance.

After a nap, you often feel more alert and concentrated, which can increase your productivity.

A nap helps

• memory,
• learning,
• stress reduction,
• improved mood.

⚠ By allowing the brain to consolidate the information received during the day.

A nap can have beneficial effects on cardiovascular health by:

• reducing blood pressure,
• reducing the risk of heart disease.

What are the different nap durations and their effects?

The micro-nap (5 minutes): the quick boost

The micro-nap is the express energy shot!

In just 5 minutes, you can significantly boost your alertness.

Here's how it works:

- it enables stage 1 sleep to be reached rapidly, without entering deep sleep,

- it reduces accumulated fatigue and improves short-term concentration,

- ideal for a quick break at the office or between tasks.

The short nap (10-20 minutes): the energy boost

The short nap is the secret of productivity pros!

In 10 to 20 minutes, you can recharge your batteries without falling into the inertia of sleep.

There are many benefits:

- it improves alertness, concentration and cognitive performance,

- it reduces stress and improves mood,

- it enhances creativity and problem-solving skills.

"According to a NASA study, a 26-minute nap can increase productivity by 34% and alertness by 54%" States the website Wellbeing.

The medium nap (30 minutes): the restorative nap

A 30-minute nap is just the right balance between recuperation and easy wakefulness.

It offers interesting benefits for your body:

- it allows you to enter into a light slow wave sleep, promoting physical recovery,

- it improves short-term memory and learning capacity,

- it reduces muscular fatigue and promotes recovery after exercise.

However, be careful not to exceed 30 minutes, as you risk falling into a deep sleep and waking up groggy.

This is known as sleep inertia and believe us, it's not pleasant!

The long nap (60 minutes): the cognitive boost

A one-hour nap is a turbo boost for your brain!

It allows you to enter deeper phases of sleep, with powerful effects on your cognitive functions:

- it significantly improves long-term memory,

- it encourages creativity and the resolution of complex problems,

- it helps to consolidate learning.

The complete sleep cycle (90 minutes): the regenerative siesta

A 90-minute nap is the ultimate daytime sleep luxury!

It allows you to complete an entire sleep cycle, including REM sleep :

- it offers complete recovery, both physically and mentally,

- it improves procedural memory (learning new skills),

- it stimulates creativity and can encourage lucid dreaming.

Be careful, however, as this long nap can disrupt your sleep at night if it is taken too late in the day.

Reserve it for weekends or days off!

What is the ideal nap length?

The ideal length of nap depends on your objectives:

• for a quick boost, opt for a micro-nap or short nap,
• for a deeper recovery, a medium or long nap is preferable.

Factors that influence the ideal nap length

Age and nap duration

Age is important (yes, the older we get, the more sleep we need) in determining the ideal nap time.

Here's how:

-Infants and young children: infants need a lot of sleep, often between 14 and 17 hours a day, including several naps.

Young children, on the other hand, sleep between 9 and 11 hours a day, and generally have an afternoon nap to supplement their nocturnal sleep.

-Adults: adults need between 7 and 9 hours' sleep a night.

A 10–20-minute nap may be enough to boost your energy levels without disturbing your night's sleep.

-Seniors: with age, the quality of night-time sleep often declines, with waking up at night and less deep sleep.

Seniors can take longer naps, up to 60 minutes, to compensate for the reduction in deep and REM sleep at night.

Time of day and nap time

The time of day when you take your nap can also influence its optimum duration:

-Early afternoon: taking a nap between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. is ideal, as this is when our biological clock (circadian rhythm) is naturally less alert.

A 10–20-minute nap at this time can improve alertness and productivity without affecting night-time sleep.

-Late afternoon: taking a nap after 4pm can disrupt your sleep at night.

If you absolutely must have a nap at this time, try to limit it to 10 minutes to avoid falling into a deep sleep and disrupting your night-time sleep cycle.

The quality of nocturnal sleep and nap duration

The quality of your sleep at night has a direct influence on the length of nap you may need:

-Quality night's sleep: if you have slept sufficiently and deeply at night, a short nap of 10 to 20 minutes may be enough to recharge you.

-Disturbed night's sleep: if your night has been interrupted by wakefulness or if you have suffered from insomnia, a longer nap of up to 60 minutes may be necessary to compensate for the lack of sleep and improve your alertness and mood.

-Chronic sleep deprivation: if you suffer from sleep deprivation over a long period, regular, longer naps can help reduce sleep debt and improve your general well-being.

The risks of napping for too long

Although napping can be beneficial, taking too long a nap can have certain disadvantages:

- sleep inertia: you feel groggy and disorientated when you wake up,

- disturbed sleep at night: difficulty falling asleep at night,

- increased risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

To avoid these risks, limit your naps to 20-30 minutes maximum.

If you need to sleep longer, aim for a full 90-minute cycle so that you wake up naturally between two cycles.

How can you incorporate napping into your daily routine?

To incorporate an optimal nap into your schedule:

1. choose a regular time, ideally between 1pm and 3pm,
2. create the right environment: a dark, quiet, cool room,
3. limit the duration to 20-30 minutes to avoid sleep inertia,
4. use a gentle alarm to wake up gently,
5. avoid naps after 4pm to avoid disrupting your sleep at night.

Feel free to experiment to find the routine that suits you best.

Some people prefer a 5–10-minute micro-nap, others need 30 minutes to feel rested.

FAQ: Your questions about nap times

Q. Can a nap replace night-time sleep?

1. No, a nap is no substitute for a real night's sleep.

Q. Is it possible to take several naps a day?

1. Yes, it's possible, but it's similar to polyphasic sleep.

This practice consists of dividing up your hours of sleep over several periods of the day.

Polyphasic sleep can disrupt your natural cycles and is not recommended for everyone.

Q. Is the ideal nap time the same for everyone?

1. No, the ideal length of sleep varies from person to person and depends on factors such as age, sleep needs and the quality of sleep at night.