10 Tips For Good Power Napping 😴

Oct 22, 2022

Napping has some excellent and considerable health and productivity benefits.

I started taking naps in 2020.

In the beginning, it felt hard and quirky.

I struggled with:

Thoughts that taking a nap is a waste of time and a sign of laziness (I was wrong about it, reading this will help you understand why).
Falling asleep in the middle of the day was challenging.
Feeling groggy after a short nap.
A few times, I slept for several hours and felt guilty later.

Here are my 10 tips to help you get started with napping:

Start taking naps during the weekend if you are just getting started.
If a power nap (15-30 mins) is difficult for you, start with 60 mins and slowly reduce it down to 30 mins.
Even 5 mins of nap are beneficial, so don't worry if you feel that you didn't have proper 15 to 30 mins naps.
Slowly count backward from 100 to 1 while you are in bed, and your eyes closed will help you to fall asleep quicker.
Exposure to sunlight (go for a quick 5-min walk) immediately after your nap will help you feel less groggy.
Use nap mediation or relaxing music to help you sleep better during your nap. (I use the Calm app for nap meditation; it's paid app. You can try this free nap meditation).
Drinking tea or coffee five minutes before your nap will help you feel less groggy after the nap. (Caffeine takes 20-30 mins to kick in; hence once you wake up from your nap, you will feel more awake)
If you can't sleep during a nap, try to close your eyes by laying on a chair, couch, or bed for 5-10 mins. This practice of just relaxing will eventually lead to a proper nap.
If you want better creativity, take a power nap early in the morning, around 9 am.
If you want to work on being more alert and focused, take a nap in the afternoon around 1-3 pm.

Here are the 5 health and productivity benefits of napping I shared earlier:

Learn + Grow