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GUEST SERIES | Dr. Matt Walker: How to Structure Your Sleep, Use Naps & Time Caffeine

Huberman Lab

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Keep Naps Short to Avoid Sleep Inertia

Napping for 20 minutes provides the benefits of refreshing non-REM sleep without plunging into the deeper stages that lead to sleep inertia, often experienced with longer naps. Sleep inertia refers to the groggy state following awakening, particularly after more extended sleep periods, which can leave individuals feeling worse than before their nap. This happens due to the transition through various sleep stages, where waking up from deeper non-REM stages 30 to 40 minutes in can result in a disorienting experience similar to being caught between floors in a building. To optimize nap effectiveness, limiting them to 20 minutes helps avoid this 'sleep hangover', allowing for a more revitalized feeling upon waking and effectively enhancing alertness and performance.

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