8 Tips On Becoming a Power Napping Expert

1. Don’t power nap if you’re not tired enough.

1.1. I usually fall asleep in about 10–15 minutes when I’m really tired. This is different for everyone. 10–15 is actually quite a lot. If I’m tired enough but need a break, I usually take a 15–20 minute walk.

2. Put an alarm.

2.1. I set mine for 25 minutes. I end up napping between 10–15 minutes. The alarm frees you from thinking about waking up on time.

3. Don’t nap for more than 15 +/- 5 minutes.

3.1. This depends on people obviously. 10–15 minutes work great for me. 20 minutes makes it hard for me to wake up.

4. Cut off the distractions.

4.1. I always listen to a song called Earth, from Gladiator’s soundtrack (by Hans Zimmer). I know other people who use earplugs. If you’re good at meditating, you can probably do without earplugs or music.

5. Be comfortable but not too much.

5.1. Napping in a comfortable bed makes it hard to get out. I currently nap on my chair, resting my head on the desk with my arms crossed over. It’s really not that comfortable. If you have access to a couch, I would go for that.

6. A “successful” nap is not always about sleeping.

6.1. I don’t always fall asleep. You still gain energy back from relaxing.

7. It takes some time to recover from the nap.

7.1. Plan for 15–20 minutes to be back to full energy. A successful power nap almost entirely removes this grace period.

8. Don’t nap when it’s close to bedtime.

8.1. By close, I mean less than 3–4 hours. You will have a hard time sleeping at night if you do that. I sometimes just go to bed at around 8pm because of that. My next day tends to be more productive since I’m well rested.

9. Practice, Practice, Practice

9.1. This takes practice. Keep trying. Don’t judge a “failed” nap. There are still benefits even if you don’t always fall asleep. Acknowledge that it does take time to fully recover as well.

9.2. If you’re a leader in your company, lead by example. A lot of people are shy and are afraid of looking like a slacker. Show them it’s okay to power nap. Encourage them to do it. Do it yourself.

9.3. If you work from public places like coffee shops or co-working spaces (like me), just do it. The first time I did it, I was afraid of judgment. Especially because I was quite new here. But seriously, who cares. I cared more about my productivity than for what people thought.