Calculate Nap Start Time
Understanding Nap Types
Naps can be incredibly beneficial, but their effectiveness often depends on their length and timing relative to your sleep cycles.
- Power Nap (approx. 20-25 minutes): This short nap primarily involves lighter stages of sleep (NREM Stage 1 & 2). It's great for boosting alertness and performance without causing grogginess (sleep inertia) upon waking. Ideal for a quick midday recharge.
- Full Cycle Nap (approx. 90-110 minutes): This longer nap allows you to complete a full sleep cycle, including REM sleep. This can enhance creativity, memory consolidation, and emotional processing. Waking up after a full cycle often feels more natural than waking from deep sleep mid-cycle.
This calculator helps you determine when to start your nap to achieve these ideal durations, ending at your desired wake-up time. We've added a few extra minutes to the calculation to account for the time it might take you to drift off.