To Nap or Not to Nap?

Is napping the ultimate performance hack for crushing that all-too familiar afternoon slump?

Author

amanda slinger
March 10, 2025

March 2025

7-minute read

Today in 7-minutes or less you’ll discover:

  • Why high-performers swear by napping

  • The answers to the top 3 napping questions.

  • The game-changing insight from the latest research on naps.

In all my years, I’ve seen only 1 energy-boosting tactic that proves itself time and again. And no, it’s not:

  • Caffeine

  • Loud music

  • Energy drinks (no…that sits in the caffeine bucket!)

The 1 thing that truly works the best and lasts the longest.

A nap.

And not the Nanna kind! (Though, I won’t lie—I’ve taken a few of those too!)

My take? It’s the only fix that kicks that post-lunch slump to the kerb—fast and for good.

But I wasn’t always a fan of napping…because of how groggy and grumpy it made me feel - like a bear waking after a long winter hibernation. Not pleasant to be or be near.

But, what I know now is that TIMING is everything when it comes to making a nap work.

This month I’ve been exploring all things napping and I’m super excited to share the highlights with you here.

Whether you're a busy professional, a parent, or someone just trying to navigate our sleep-deprived world, strategic napping could be the tool you've been looking for - it was for me!

What's Inside:

A Must Know… The 26-minute Rule

NASA researchers discovered that a 26-minute nap results in a whopping 54% increase in alertness.

Wow!!

What could you achieve with that level of afternoon alertness?

What mistakes and errors could you avoid?

“Think of a nap like a pit-stop in a race: short, well-timed, and just enough to refuel your energy without taking you out of the competition.”

Amanda Slinger

3 Questions on Everyone’s Lips:

Q1. Will Napping Affect My Sleep?

Simply Put: 

Napping too close to bedtime is like snacking before a meal - who does that !? 🫨

🥽 Going deeper:

The reason you feel more tired as the day goes on? It’s your sleep drive at work—driven by adenosine, a chemical that builds up in your brain the longer you stay awake.

Sleep naturally clears adenosine, which is why (on a good day) you wake up feeling refreshed.

And guess what? A nap does the same thing—just in a mini, turbo-charged way.

However, nap too late in the day (trust me on this!), and you won’t have enough time to rebuild your sleep drive—making it harder to fall asleep that night.

So what’s the sweet spot?

Aim to nap between 1pm and 3pm—right in line with your natural circadian dip. It’s the perfect window to recharge without messing with your night-time sleep.

Q2. Is Napping Good or Bad?

Simply Put: 

Absolutely!

It’s great for a midday recharge or catching up on lost sleep. But heads up—there are a few red flags to watch for!

🥽 Going Deeper:

The right nap, timed well, can be a game-changer—boosting alertness, mood, and performance.

But get it wrong—too short, too long, or too late—and you might end up groggy, messing with your night-time sleep, or feeling even worse.

And if you’re relying on naps just to get through the day, that’s a red flag. It could mean you’re not getting enough quality sleep at night.

Or there’s something bigger going on—like an undiagnosed sleep issue.

If that sounds familiar, it’s worth digging a little deeper. Check in with your GP and ask about a referral to a sleep specialist.

Because sometimes, the real fix isn’t just about napping—it’s about understanding what’s happening under the hood.

Sometimes, the best sleep fix isn’t just about when or how you nap—it’s about understanding the bigger picture.

Q3. How Long Should I Nap?

Simply Put:

Stick to 10–30 minutes if you want to wake up refreshed and avoid that groggy, “don’t bother me” feeling afterward.

🥽 Going Deeper:

It depends on what your goal is, how long you have to nap and how much time you have to get back up to speed afterwards:

  • 10-20 minutes (Power nap) – A quick energy boost to refresh your mind and sharpen focus without too much grogginess.

  • 20-30 minutes (Genius nap) – A brain boost for memory consolidation, problem-solving and creativity, but may leave you feeling a little groggy.

  • 60-90 minutes (Recovery nap) – A deeper recharge for sleep debt recovery or illness. But, you’ll need a long runway to get back up to speed when you wake up.

Latest From My YouTube Channel

If you’re finding all this incredibly interesting and want to go the next mile and explore the different types of naps and their use case - take a look at these videos from my YouTube series on napping:

Napping in The Media:

Napping is one of those topics that always sparks debate. Some swear by it (that’s me!), some avoid it (probably because they’re not doing it right), and plenty aren’t even sure if they’re doing it right in the first place.

So when I appeared on The Today Show, it was no surprise that Karl Stefanovic cut straight to the chase:

"Please, set the record straight on power naps. Do they work, and how long is the perfect power nap?"

P.S. Woke at 3am for this interview… so yeah, a nap was definitely on the cards!

If you've been following along, you should already know the answer!

But just in case

The answer is…

Yes!

And the ideal power nap is 10-20 minutes — just enough for a recharge but without the grogginess.

A Question for You…

So, let’s imagine… If you had the time and the perfect nap spot, how often would you put in a nap each week?

  • “I’m a serial napper” - 4 days or more a week?

  • “I love to nap” - at least once a week

  • “I do, but its rare” - maybe once every few months

  • “Nup - not me!” - never

Hit reply and let me know.

What The Science Says:

A study (1) released this month on napping found that while shorter naps help reduce grogginess, it’s the depth of sleep — not just duration — that truly determines how refreshed you feel.

Published in Sleep Medicine in 2024 a study (2) on napping revealed that those who fall asleep quickly tend to enter deep sleep faster.

What this means:

If you wake from a 10- to 20-minute nap feeling quite groggy, it may be a sign you were so sleep-deprived that you slipped into deeper sleep.

What’s Inside My Bag of Tricks?

Curious to know what my go-to products are when it comes to napping? Well, let’s go shopping!

Note: no affiliate links here, just me sharing what I love with you:) If and when I have an affiliate or sponsor - I’ll be sure to let you know.

I’m committed to helping 1 Million people make 2025 their biggest year yet — so if there’s a way I can support you, let me know! (as long as it doesn’t involve jumping out of a plane… in which case, you’re on your own!).

And if napping has been on your mind, why not give it a try this month?

A 10-20 minute power nap could be the perfect reset to boost your focus and energy, or try the caffeine nap - which I cover in an upcoming YouTube video.

If you’ve got questions about napping (or sleep in general), hit reply — I’d love to hear from you!

Amanda x

Looking for Further Guidance:

  • The Sleep Archetype Quiz: A FREE quiz to unlock valuable insights into your unique sleep behaviours & challenges so you can ID your priority sleep assassin and put effort where its going to give you the biggest payoff. 💥

  • Sleep Assessment:  A 60-minute deep-dive to finally answer the question “How well am I really sleeping?” Walk away with personalised strategies to tackle your biggest sleep assassin.

  • The Sleep Make-Over: A 21-day group program to give your sleep the ultimate Glow Up and restore your mojo. Get the accountability, support, and community you need to wake up feeling recharged and unstoppable.

  • Private Sleep Guidance: One-on-one expert guidance to get the best return on your sleep. Think of me as your personal Sleep Guide (and strategic butt-kicker), keeping you accountable and on track to unlock real, lasting sleep success.

  • Guest Speaker: Thought-provoking presentations that challenge how an audience thinks about rest & sleep.