To make your nap effective, never exceed this maximum duration

Napping has many fans. Among them are people who struggle to get a good night's rest.

According to the National Sleep Foundation, a person over the age of 18 should sleep at least 7 hours every day to be efficient and in shape. Women, on the other hand, need even more sleep, between 7 and 9 hours, but very rarely achieve this amount.

And when these hours of sleep aren't adhered to, many opt for a nap.

Zzzz how long exactly?

To really reap its benefits, how long should a nap last? In order to be restful, a nap should last at least 15 minutes and should not exceed 25. This specific time frame is important because it aligns with the duration of sleep cycles. "Under 30 minutes, we remain in a light sleep phase. We recover properly, but do not struggle to wake up," says the French doctor Gérald Kierzek in a video published on the social network TikTok. "If you nap for 30 to 90 minutes, waking up will be difficult because you will have entered an incomplete deep sleep cycle."

Feeling great

Want to feel refreshed after a nap and easily find the arms of Morpheus the next night? Then short naps, also known as "parking" naps, should be favoured. "They're called this because they can be taken quickly in a car," notes Dr. Kierzek. He adds that a flash nap that lasts "5 to 6 minutes" is also ideal for "waking up feeling great!"

(MH with Raphaël Liset - Source: Linternaute - Illustration: ©Unsplash)