Napping Done Right
Matthew Walker's honest take on naps: a real performance tool for some people, a sleep-wrecker for others. The trick is knowing which one you are, and how to nap if you do.
Work out if naps help or hurt you Nap only if you sleep well at night
If you have insomnia or trouble falling/staying asleep, naps reduce your night-time sleep pressure and make things worse. If you sleep well, a short nap can genuinely restore alertness.
Keep it short ~20 minutes
A short nap refreshes you without dropping you into deep sleep and the grogginess (sleep inertia) that follows a long one.
Keep it early Early afternoon, not late
A late nap is like snacking before dinner: it kills your appetite for sleep at bedtime. Riding the early-afternoon dip is the sweet spot.
After a bad night, do nothing Don't nap long, sleep in, over-caffeinate or go to bed early
Walker's counterintuitive advice: resist compensating. Overcorrecting after one rough night usually just disrupts the next one too.
Make a quick dark, quiet nap easy Eye mask and earplugs
Blocking light and noise lets a 20-minute nap actually land, especially in a bright office or daytime room.
Can't nap? Use NSDR instead 10 to 20 min non-sleep deep rest / yoga nidra
If you can't or shouldn't nap, NSDR gives some of the restoration without reducing your night-time sleep drive.
Naps draw down your 'sleep pressure' (the adenosine that builds across the day).
View sources
The Matt Walker Podcast
Matthew Walker (MasterClass): the science of better sleep
Not medical advice. This page is for education only and is not a substitute for professional medical care. Consult a qualified clinician before changing your health routine.
Independent curation. YourProtocol is an independent platform. This protocol is based on the publicly available work of Matthew Walker and is not created, reviewed, endorsed by, or affiliated with Matthew Walker or UC Berkeley.
Is this for you
- Good sleepers who want an afternoon energy tool
- Insomnia sufferers who need to know to skip naps
- Shift workers and new parents managing sleep debt
- Anyone who naps but wakes up groggy
Cautions
- If you have insomnia or trouble sleeping at night, naps are likely to make it worse; this protocol tells you to skip them.
- Long or late naps cause grogginess and can push back your bedtime.
- Persistent daytime sleepiness despite enough night sleep can signal a sleep disorder; see a doctor.
- Alaska Bear