No matter how consistent you are about getting enough sleep, sometimes you still need a short nap. However, as anyone who has woken up from a quick nap feeling even sleepier — and unable to sleep when bedtime rolls around — can tell you, getting the naps right can be challenging. 

When is the right time to fit in a nap? How long should you nap? What is the best way to sneak a nap when it’s still bright outside? Are naps good for you? Sleep experts weigh in on getting more out of your naps so you wake up refreshed and ready to jump back into your day.

To ensure you’re ready the next time you stay up a little too late, the neighbors’ loud music keeps you awake, or you just crave a little rest, continue on.

Don’t take your nap too late in the day

There is no perfect nap window for everyone. However, there are ways to figure out roughly when the best time is to nap during the day.

“To understand the best timing for naps, we have to be aware of a concept called ‘sleep drive,’ or ‘sleep pressure,'” said Karin Voelker, Rise Science clinician, a licensed clinical psychologist specialist in behavioral sleep medicine. Voelker states sleep drive is the “hunger” for sleep that the human body builds up by being awake throughout the day.

“A short nap can be compared to an appetizer, and a long nap can act like a full meal,” explains Voelker. Because of this, you will want to avoid napping eight hours before bedtime so it doesn’t negatively impact your sleep. If you intend to go to bed by 11 p.m., you won’t want to nap any later than 3 p.m.”

According to Voelker, “We tend to feel most sleepy in the early afternoon during our natural circadian dip, so taking a short ‘power nap’ at that time may not significantly impact our upcoming night.”

Dr. Funke Afolabi-Brown, a sleep medicine physician, agrees that it’s often a good idea to take advantage of that energy dip to squeeze in a bit of sleep. “That’s generally anywhere between 1 to 3 p.m., but definitely not beyond 3 p.m. [if bedtime is at 11].”

Set your sleep scene

Once you have decided on a good time for your nap, you will want to settle your body for rest. Falling asleep in the middle of the day when the sun is still high in the sky can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible.

“Your nap environment should mirror your sleep environment and be cool, dark, and quiet,” said Dr. Chris Winter, a specialist in neurology and sleep medicine and a sleep health expert with Mattress Firm. 

This could mean stretching out on a couch, finding another space with minimal distractions, or going back to bed and closing the blinds. If you have to take a nap in a chair, look for one that can recline. “Be horizontal if possible,” says Winter.

“I would recommend you have a mini routine,” added Afolabi-Brown, who suggested winding down with a shortened version of your regular pre-bedtime preparations, such as putting on an eye mask. In addition to providing much-needed darkness, studies show wearing an eye mask to bed can be helpful, as it’s linked to improving alertness and memory when awake, decreasing anxiety and fear (therefore improving sleep quality), and possibly even increasing REM sleep in some subjects when combined with earplugs.

Finally, if you have trouble slowing your brain down, consider sleep meditation to ease the flow of thoughts.

Don’t try to force it

Just because you are feeling tired doesn’t mean you will be able to actually fall asleep—and that is fine. “Approaching a nap with a goal to rest is more helpful than putting yourself under pressure to actually sleep,” Winter says. “If sleep happens, great. If it does not, resting is very beneficial, too.”

Afolabi-Brown agrees with Winter. “If it’s taking you 15 minutes to take a nap, then you probably either don’t have a high enough sleep drive, or you’re just actually not sleepy, and maybe you should just save that sleep drive for nighttime sleep.”

If you still try to force a nap, you may end up doing yourself a disservice by limiting your ability to sleep later in the evening.

Keep naps short, sweet

The solution to avoiding grogginess after a nap is to keep your nap fairly short—ideally, less than half an hour.

“The grogginess we experience when waking up is called sleep inertia. We are likely to experience it if we go into a deep sleep during our nap,” Voelker says. “Naps should be no longer than 20 to 30 minutes to avoid this.”

That said, experts say there are exceptions that permit longer naps, such as if you’re making up for a recent sleep deficit. “This strategic napping can be very helpful for shift workers or when experiencing jet lag due to a time zone change,” Voelker says.

Be sleep consistent

Many of us only need an occasional nap when we feel particularly sluggish, relaxing while on vacation, or recovering from a stormy night’s sleep. However, if you’re a frequent napper, experts advise devising a routine around it.

“It is helpful to our brains to have a schedule for napping rather than just grabbing sleep whenever you can. This tends to minimize the sleep inertia some people feel when napping,” Winter says. He recommends that, if possible, you should nap at the same time each day, with the nap ending around the same time, whether you sleep the entire amount or not. If you don’t have enough time for a daily nap, aim for the same time on days when you are able to lie down.

Wake up after a post-nap routine

Just like waking up in the a.m. feels easier after getting sunlight right away, exercising, showering, or listening to music, you may additionally consider these activities after a nap. This will help ensure you can return to your afternoon activities, whether it be school pickup duty or getting ready to go out for the evening or work.

Experts recommend using an alarm to wake up, making the room bright again, and then getting some movement (stretching would work) following a nap. Winter suggests some social interaction, and food can also help you awaken.

Ensure you are also focusing on getting a good night’s sleep

Afolabi-Brown also recognizes that a good power nap can be beneficial but wants people to understand what’s most important is ensuring the sleep you get at night is optimized. This means going to sleep and waking up simultaneously, having a restful night — versus waking up multiple times or tossing and turning — and having a good sleep routine.

If you are feeling overly tired regularly, and if you need naps daily just to function, experts say this may indicate a more significant issue such as insomnia.

“Insomnia patients need to be careful about long naps as this can lead to more issues with difficulty sleeping in the future,” Winter says. “In other words, if you got into bed and had the opportunity to sleep but did not, napping during the day might be prolonging [or] worsening your sleep issues.” In cases like these, seeking help from a medical professional is optimal.

Sleep better

• Find the perfect “Goldilocks” temperature to sleep in. Too cold or too hot an environment could affect regular sleep.
• Doing simple exercises like standing knee raises with straight leg extensions, chair squats, and calf raises can add 30 additional minutes to your sleep at nighttime, according to research.
• A cooling blanket can help you get better rest.
• The 4-7-8 method promotes deep, slow breathing, which can help you stay in the present moment, induce sleep, and increase relaxation.
• According to research, catching up on sleep on weekends may lower the risk for heart disease by 20%.
• Assemble a comfy sleep setup inspired by luxury hotels — a duvet insert, fluffy pillows, soft bedding, and a mattress topper can all help you drift off.