Is there any more delicate balance in life than napping for the right amount of time? Nap too long and you feel like a lobotomy patient. Nap too little, and you just sat there with your eyes closed for 12 minutes. Good thing science has figured out how to nap like the unmotivated adult you are so you can get the perfect balance of rest and relaxation.

Is there any more delicate balance in life than napping for the right amount of time? Nap too long and you feel like a lobotomy patient. Nap too little, and you just sat there with your eyes closed for 12 minutes. Good thing science has figured out how to nap like the unmotivated adult you are so you can get the perfect balance of rest and relaxation.

Power Napping
For a power nap that’ll leave you alert and energetic, nap for 10-20 minutes. This confines you to the lighter stages of non-REM sleep, making it easier to wake up as a person and not a zombie seeking an intravenous coffee drip. Short naps like these enhance mood and concentration, and sharpen alertness and motor skills, two things you need if you’re a non-vegetative human adult.

Best for: A-pick-me-up at work or before da club.

The 45-Minute Rule
Never, ever sleep for 30-45 minutes. Past the 30-minute mark, you enter the deeper stages of non-REM sleep, which are hard to wake up from because of sleep inertia. That, for all you nerds, is a temporary condition characterized by a groggy, hungover feeling and brain fog. Not to mention naps of this length are pointless because you wake up before you reap any of sleep’s restorative benefits. Just remember 30-45 minute is the antichrist.

Best for: Giving yourself a hangover sans the booze, like a magician of stupidity.

The 60-Minute Memory Massage
A 60-minute nap is the best for improving memory of facts, names, and faces. So next time you’re at a party and you forget someone’s name, just take an hour-long break from consciousness. After 60 minutes, you won’t have entered the REM stage, so you’ll feel groggy, when you wake up but you may spontaneously remember when your dad’s birthday is.

Best for: Studying, giving a presentation, or remembering your one-night-stand’s name.

The Whole Shebang
If you nap for 90 minutes, you accomplish a full sleep cycle. Sleeping for this long means you’ll enter REM, aka the dream phase, which is the most restorative level of sleep for your body and mind. REM is also known to improve creativity, reduce stress, and increase arousal. And,if you wake up after 90 minutes, you’ll avoid sleep inertia because after REM, you transition back into the lightest phase of sleep.

Best for: Everything.

Don’t forget to …
– Sit upright while you nap because it’ll help you avoid the sleep inertia that comes with deep sleep. Plus, think how cool you’ll look.

– Nap during the right time of day. Generally, napping 6-7 hours after your wakeup time will yield the most beneficial results. However if you tend to wake up later in the morning, you’ll need to nap within 4-5 hours of waking up.

– Use earplugs and an eyeshade to block out light and sound; you’ll fall asleep faster and your nap will be more beneficial if you trick your body into thinking it’s nighttime. Take that, body.