The 20-Minute ‘Midday Reset' a Sleep Specialist Recommends to Instantly Flush Stress Hormones and Boost Productivity

Last week felt like a lot. I was busy with work, my body ached, small chores were making me irritable, and I couldn't help but notice a sense of creeping, all-encompassing doom attaching itself to my thinking. A dark cloud was being drawn over my world, and it was bumming me out. Luckily, at 36 years old, I recognized the signs and knew what action to take. Like a toddler, what I needed wasn't anything drastic (although I'd still like to quit my job and move to a tropical island). No, what I needed was a good nap.

While there's no defined length of a nap, we know that they feel great, and they're good for us. Lots of important things happen while we nap, and they can help us catch up on rejuvenating processes we missed out on if we slept badly last night. In fact, sleeping less than the recommended seven hours a night increases mortality risk by 12 percent. Yikes.

The thing is, I'd become a bit wary of napping lately, largely due to the actor Jon Bernthal announcing that he doesn't have time for naps. The implication was that naps are for soft boys. I'd become a bit scared of waking up to Bernthal leaning over me, doing his Punisher scream, or yelling "Let me tell you something" and going on a tirade about how I was weak.

But, on second thoughts, there is lots of data I could counter with. The Greeks and Romans were said to take naps in ancient times, and in a 2023 study, a power nap was seen to increase productivity at work by 2.3 percent. Meanwhile, regular nappers are proven to have bigger brains than those who white-knuckle it through their day.

Here, then, is everything you need to know about napping, Bernthal be dammed.

Why Is Sleep Important for Your Body?

Sleep is when the body's clean-up operations kick into gear. The mental and physical stresses of the day-including waste products and toxins-all get flushed out, ready to start over in the morning. Our liver and kidneys are firing on all cylinders for an overnight refresh, while our immune system is working to reduce inflammation while supporting repair.

Dr Maja Schaedel, a clinical psychologist specialising in sleep difficulties at The Good Sleep Clinic, explains that good sleep is an investment in our future. "As well as helping you feel good in the morning, a restful night's sleep can even help safeguard your health for the future by removing harmful proteins (like beta-amyloid and tau) which have been linked to conditions like Alzheimer's disease," she says.

How Can Not Getting Enough Sleep Impact Health?

"Mild sleep deprivation-defined as as little as just one hour less than you need-not only makes us groggy, it can actually impair cognitive function, mood, and decision-making," explains Dr Deborah Lee, a consultant clinical psychologist used to dealing with sleep-deprived clients.

We've all been there, and it's never pleasant. Especially not when you have a full day's work ahead. Or, worse, a day off that you're desperately trying to enjoy despite feeling wiped out after a bad night.

Severe sleep deprivation wreaks havoc on everything from our immune systems to our heart health. Just look at Randy Gardner, a 17-year-old who took 'anti-napmaxxing' to the absolute limit in 1964. He went without sleep for eleven days and 25 minutes, subjecting himself to major behavioral shifts, including paranoia, memory issues, and vivid hallucinations.

Related: Longevity Specialist Shares the 3 Things He Does for Better Sleep

The Cognitive Power of the Midday Reset

"There are a good number of studies that show the benefits of napping," explains Dr David Garley, a man who loves sleep so much he made it his career as the director of the UK's Sleep Clinic. (Earlier this year, Garley treated me for chronic insomnia, and it worked).

Garley explains that most of the studies around naps tend to focus on cognitive performance, with "generally universal agreement that napping causes a brisk improvement in cognitive ability." We've all been there: you might wake up a bit groggy after a nap, but ten minutes later you're operating on top form once again.

Naps can even reduce stress. Lee points to a 2015 randomised trial in which 11 healthy men were allowed just two hours of sleep per night. Half of them were allowed a 30-minute morning and afternoon nap the next day; the others had to stay awake.

"Sleep restriction resulted in raised noradrenaline levels-one of the key neurotransmitters of the sympathetic nervous system, which is highly activated by stress," she says. Not so in the nap group, who showed no signs of increased inflammation markers.

A pre-gym nap might even help, too. Short naps were also associated with improved physical performance, as well as reducing the perception of effort in athletes.

What's the Ideal Length of a Power Nap?

So, we know napping is good for our bodies and brains, but how do we nail the perfect nap? How do we allow ourselves 40 winks without it turning into 50 or 100? How do we get the most benefit from a nap, without it taking over our day? According to Garley, the key is to set a 20-minute alarm.

"The reason for this is due to the architecture of a sleep cycle," he says. "When you fall asleep, you move into very light sleep, known as NREM 1. Shortly after, you move into NREM 2, which is slightly deeper, but still considered light sleep."

After around 30 minutes, you risk entering the deepest state of sleep–NREM 3. This is when you can feel like a zombie. Try to wake up from this deep state of sleep, and your brain might feel like it's being dipped in molasses, and not in a good way.

"This can lead to something called ‘sleep inertia', which is essentially feeling groggy, and it can go on for around an hour," says Garley.

But, if you're really pushed for time, you can get some benefit from even the tiniest of micro-naps. Even a short nap of six to 10 minutes has been shown to improve memory. Meanwhile, several studies have shown that longer naps for up to 30 minutes can improve memory consolidation. In short, how long you kip is up to you, but again, Lee and Garley agree that around 20 minutes is the sweet spot.

As for the best time of day to take a nap, Lee suggests the one to three p.m. period, where we're all naturally at our sleepiest due to low blood sugar levels, and the impact of having had to listen to your coworkers for four or five hours straight.

"This period has the greatest effect on our ability to sustain our attention in the afternoon," says Lee. On the other hand, taking a nap too late, say, after 3 p.m., can result in insomnia, which is a whole other sleep issue you don't want to get into.

And, if you're napping at home, make sure all the usual sleep hygiene protocols are in place to give yourself the best chance of nodding off.

Related: New Study Reveals Why You're Always Tired, Even if You Think You Sleep Enough

How Often Should You Nap?

Culturally, there's a bit of a Catch-22 around napping. We all enjoy it, but it can feel a bit like we're wasting time if we nap frequently. But then, if we get pleasure from it and it helps us act and feel better, is it really a waste of time?

"Sleep is a very individual thing, and we all do it differently," says Garley. "There is no hard and fast rule on napping, and many people do this on a regular basis and are all the better for it."

As for the science, napping seems to have the greatest effects on memory for habitual nappers. In a 2021 study, 46 participants took a 90-minute afternoon nap, and 46 others did not, over a period of a week. The results showed that a nap improved memory even in those who were occasional nappers, but the greatest effects on memory were seen in habitual nappers. In other words, a regular nap is no bad thing.

But, if you're finding yourself overly reliant on naps, Garley suggests looking deeper. "You should ask whether there's something driving this need to nap," he says. "Are you sleeping well enough at night? Are you suffering from a sleep disorder? Are you feeling overly stressed, sad, or depressed?"

If that's the case, you should try to address these issues separately because while naps can help, they aren't a cure-all. Otherwise, frequent naps are no bad thing–just make sure to take them on your own time, rather than during an important work call, and you'll be fine.

This story was originally published by Men's Journal on Jul 8, 2026, where it first appeared in the Health section. Add Men's Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 10:03 AM.