Sleep can feel like a luxury, especially if you’re caring for little ones who need support overnight, working unpredictable shifts, or simply balancing too much at once. For many, the idea of getting a solid 7-9 hours feels laughable, and even a full hour-long nap is out of reach. But what if even the shortest nap could actually help?
The good news is, science says it can. Let’s talk about micro-naps, power naps and everything in between and why they matter, especially if sleep is scarce.
The Reality: Sleep is Hard to Come By
For parents, caregivers, or anyone in a demanding phase of life, sleep can feel like something you’re constantly chasing but never quite catching. Night wakings, bedtime routines with young people, middle-of-the-night feeds, insomnia can all take up many of those night hours. This makes daytime naps, even very short ones, a potential lifeline.
The trick? Knowing that every nap has value, even if it’s just a few minutes long.
Image from Canva, by jsnover from Getty Images
You may also be interested in some of my other blogs on sleep like ‘The Need for Co-regulation Doesn’t Stop at Night‘ and ‘Going to Bed for Any Other Reason than Sleep: Taking the Pressure Off‘
What Different Nap Lengths Can Do For You
Let’s break it down. Here’s what different nap lengths offer, and why you might want to grab whatever you can get:
Below is a downloadable table that summarises the following discussion about the benefits of different nap lengths
Nap Length Benefits
| Nap Length | Best For | Key Benefits | Watch Out For |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2-5 minutes | Micro reset between tasks | Quick stress relief, brief focus boost | Not deep enough for full refresh, but better than nothing |
| 5-10 minutes | Tiny power boost when time is tight | Stress reduction, slight energy lift | Easy to dismiss as “too short to matter” (but it does!) |
| 10-20 minutes | Power nap sweet spot | Focus, mood, energy boost | Set a timer to avoid oversleeping |
| 30 minutes | When you’re really tired but time-limited | Memory boost, creative thinking | Risk of waking during deep sleep = grogginess |
| 60 minutes | Deeper recovery nap | Memory support, learning boost, physical recovery | Can wake up feeling disoriented if sleep is very deep |
| 90 minutes | Full sleep cycle nap | Emotional reset, creative processing, physical & mental recovery | Hard to find the time, but ideal when possible |
Taking a Closer Look
5-10 Minutes: The Micro-Nap
Perfect for: Those “I just need to close my eyes for a sec” moments.
Benefits:
✅ Quick reduction in stress
✅ Slight boost in alertness
✅ Can feel like hitting a mini-reset button
Why it works: Even a few minutes of rest signals to your nervous system that you’re safe enough to relax. While you won’t hit deep sleep, you’re still giving your brain a breather.
10-20 Minutes: The Power Nap
Perfect for: Midday slumps, after lunch, or when you have a small window between tasks.
Benefits:
✅ Improved focus and concentration
✅ Increased energy
✅ Better mood
Why it works: This keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep, giving your brain enough rest to feel refreshed without dipping so deep that you wake up groggy.
30 Minutes: The Tricky One
Perfect for: When you have a bit longer but not enough for a full sleep cycle.
Benefits:
✅ Memory boost
✅ Creative thinking support
Why it’s tricky: At this length, you’re more likely to hit deeper sleep stages and if you wake up during those, you might feel worse (that awful groggy, disoriented feeling called sleep inertia). But if this is all you can get, it’s still better than nothing and your body will thank you.
60 Minutes: Deep Rest
Perfect for: Days when you’re utterly exhausted and can actually carve out an hour.
Benefits:
✅ Deep sleep for physical recovery
✅ Solid boost to memory and learning
✅ Helps compensate for lost night sleep
Why it’s not always possible: Let’s be real, an hour-long nap can feel like an impossible luxury if you’ve got young children, demanding work, or care responsibilities. But if you can make it happen, it’s powerful.
90 Minutes: The Full Sleep Cycle
Perfect for: Rare opportunities to fully reset.
Benefits:
✅ Full cycle of light, deep, and REM sleep
✅ Emotional processing and creative problem-solving
✅ Physical recovery
Why it’s a dream (literally): This is gold-standard napping, but it’s also rare if you’re sleep-deprived and have responsibilities calling. Still, knowing this is the target can help you aim for it when you do get a bigger window.
But What If You Only Have 2-5 Minutes?
Even pausing to close your eyes without fully falling asleep can be restorative. This is called a waking rest or quiet wakefulness. You’re giving your brain a break from stimulation, and that alone can help lower stress hormones and recharge your focus.
Small Naps Add Up
For anyone who’s caring for babies, toddlers, or anyone needing overnight support, sleep often comes in pieces. To help support you, a string of micro-naps throughout the day can actually add up to meaningful rest. No, it’s not the same as a solid 8 hours, but it’s a lot better than powering through exhaustion with nothing.
Napping Tips for the Sleep-Deprived
- Set a timer — This helps avoid the dreaded “oversleep and wake up groggy” trap.
- Create a mini-ritual — Even just grabbing a blanket, turning off a light, or closing your eyes in a comfy chair helps your body get the message.
- Guilt-free rest — This is the big one. If you’re caring for others, you need and deserve rest too. Even 5 minutes. Especially 5 minutes.
Final Thought
In a perfect world, we’d all get the sleep we need. In reality, life can be busy and full on — and sometimes, rest has to come in scraps. The beautiful thing is, those scraps still matter. So next time you feel too tired to function, give yourself permission to take that 5, 10, or 20 minutes. It’s not just self-care, it’s survival.
Quick Reference Guide: When You Need a Nap, But Life is Chaos
| If you have… | Try this nap length | Why it helps |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 5 minutes | 2-5 min micro-nap | A fast pause reduces stress & sensory overload |
| 10-15 minutes | 10-15 min power nap | Perfect for focus and mood boost without grogginess |
| 20-30 minutes | 20-30 min deeper recharge | Creativity, memory, and calm — but risk of grogginess |
| 45-60 minutes | 60 min deep nap | Supports learning and physical recovery (if you can!) |
| 90 minutes | Full 90 min cycle | Full reset — mind and body (the nap jackpot) |
Thank you for reading,
Laura Hellfeld
RN, MSN, PHN, CNL
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References and Resources
- Sleep Misfits: The reality of Delayed Sleep Phase Syndrome & Non-24, Book Compiled by Sally Cat
- The Need for Co-regulation Doesn’t Stop at Night, Blog
- Going to Bed for Any Other Reason than Sleep: Taking the Pressure Off, Blog
- DSPS (delayed sleep phase syndrome), Facebook group
- DSPS (Delayed-Sleep-Phase-Syndrome) and Non 24 Hour Family Support Group, Facebook group
Last modified: 20 April 2025