To nap at work, use your own break time, keep the nap to 10 to 20 minutes, and take it in the early afternoon. A short nap is long enough to lift alertness for a couple of hours and short enough that you won't wake up groggy. Set an alarm, find somewhere quiet and safe, and give yourself a few minutes to wake up before you're back on the job.
Free toolNap CalculatorWhen to set your alarm for a power nap or a full-cycle nap.Why a short work nap helps
Research on short naps is encouraging. In an Australian study, a 10-minute afternoon nap after a short night improved alertness, mood and mental performance right away, with benefits lasting up to about 2.5 hours. A 30-minute nap helped too, but first caused a spell of grogginess.
Workplaces that depend on alertness already use this. NASA research on long-haul flight crews found that planned in-flight rest periods improved pilots' alertness and performance during the descent and landing, the most critical part of the flight.
First: check the rules
Before you nap on the job, find out what's allowed. Break rules vary by state, employer and industry.
- Nap on your own time. Your lunch break or rest break is usually the safest place for a nap. Sleeping while you're supposed to be working can get you disciplined, even if you only meant to close your eyes.
- Read your handbook or ask HR. Some employers have nap rooms or quiet rooms. Others ban sleeping on site.
- Safety-sensitive jobs have stricter rules. If you drive, operate machinery or work in healthcare, transport or security, follow your employer's fatigue policy exactly.
- Tell someone if you're going to be out of reach, especially on a shift.
How to nap at work: step by step
- Pick the right time. Early afternoon, roughly 1 to 3 PM for a typical day shift, when the natural post-lunch dip hits. See the best time to take a nap.
- Find a spot. A quiet room, your parked car, a break room couch, or even your desk chair with your head down.
- Block light and noise. An eye mask and earplugs or headphones make a big difference.
- Set an alarm, and a backup if you're worried about oversleeping.
- Don't worry if you don't fully fall asleep. Even light dozing can help.
- Leave time to wake up. Stand up, get some light, splash water on your face, and give yourself 5 minutes before anything demanding.
How long to nap on each type of break
| Break length | Alarm after lying down | Time left to wake up |
|---|---|---|
| 15 minutes | 10 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 20 minutes | 15 minutes | 5 minutes |
| 30 minutes | 20 minutes | 10 minutes |
| 45 to 60 minutes | 25 to 30 minutes | 15 to 30 minutes, plus eating |
Skip the 45 to 60 minute nap even if you have the time. You're likely to wake from deep sleep feeling worse. A full 90-minute nap only makes sense on a long break or before a night shift, and it's usually too long for a workday. See is a 90-minute nap too long.
The nap calculator gives you an exact alarm time based on when you lie down and how fast you drift off.
How to nap in your car safely
Your car can be a good nap spot, as long as you're careful.
- Park somewhere legal, well lit and away from traffic. A company lot or a designated rest area is better than a roadside shoulder. Check posted time limits.
- Lock the doors.
- Never run the engine in an enclosed space like a garage. Exhaust contains carbon monoxide, which can build up quickly.
- Move to the passenger or back seat if you can, and recline.
- Crack a window for fresh air if it's safe.
- Use a sunshade to block light and keep the car cooler.
The coffee nap for drivers
If you're sleepy on a drive, pull over. A UK driving-simulator study found that combining 200 mg of caffeine with a short nap of under 15 minutes during a 30-minute break cut driving incidents to 9% of the placebo level. Caffeine alone cut them to 34%. Even people who only dozed lightly got the benefit.
The idea: caffeine takes a while to kick in, so drink it right before a short nap and it starts working as you wake. That's about two cups of brewed coffee. Don't do it late in the day, or it will still be in your system at bedtime. Check your cutoff with the caffeine calculator.
A nap is a short-term fix. If you're fighting sleep behind the wheel, stop driving.
When work naps aren't enough
If you need a nap every workday just to function, look at your night sleep. Most adults need at least 7 hours, and the sleep calculator can find a bedtime that fits your alarm. If you're getting enough sleep and still nodding off at your desk, see a doctor. Loud snoring, gasping or pauses in breathing at night can point to sleep apnea.