How long should your naps be? - Sara C. Mednick episode artwork

EPISODE · Jul 22, 2026 · 7 MIN

How long should your naps be? - Sara C. Mednick

from TED-Ed · host TED-Ed

Download a free audiobook version of "Take a Nap: Change Your Life" by Sara Mednick or Matthew Walker's "Why We Sleep" and support TED-Ed's nonprofit mission: https://www.audible.com/ted-ed--Your eyes get heavy and gradually close… But wait! It’s only lunch time and you still have so much to do. Would taking a nap help? Or would it derail your day? Well, that depends on a few things— especially what stages of sleep the nap includes. Sara C. Mednick details the cognitive benefits of napping, and explores the optimal length and time of day for a quick snooze.Lesson by Sara C. Mednick, directed by Qian Shi.Support Our Non-Profit Mission----------------------------------------------Support us on Patreon: http://bit.ly/TEDEdPatreonCheck out our merch: http://bit.ly/TEDEDShop----------------------------------------------Connect With Us----------------------------------------------Sign up for our newsletter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdNewsletterFollow us on Facebook: http://bit.ly/TEDEdFacebookFind us on Twitter: http://bit.ly/TEDEdTwitterPeep us on Instagram: http://bit.ly/TEDEdInstagram----------------------------------------------Keep Learning----------------------------------------------View full lesson: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-long-should-your-naps-be-sara-c-mednickDig deeper with additional resources: https://ed.ted.com/lessons/how-long-should-your-naps-be-sara-c-mednick#digdeeperCheck out our full book recommendations: https://shop.ed.ted.com/collections/ted-ed-book-recommendations/products/copy-of-1985 and https://shop.ed.ted.com/products/why-we-sleep?_pos=1&_sid=c7f99e690&_ss=rAnimator's website: https://www.qianshi.art----------------------------------------------Thank you so much to our patrons for your support! Without you this video would not be possible! Anoop Varghese, David Yastremski, Zoë Tulip, B, Jason Harrison, Erica Guerrero, Richard Manklow, Roberto Chena, Oliver Koo, Luke Pisano, Andrea Gordon, Aleksandar Donev, Nicole Klau Ibarra, Milo Vermeulen, Ryan Weiler, Jesse Lira, Ezekiel Raui, Itay Levi, Zongpu Kou, Cameron Chakraverty, Petr Vacek, Rhys Patterson, Dennis, Olivia Fu, Katrina Adams, Regina Post, Mary Collins, Kari Teffeau, clumsybunnie, Adam Leos, Jeremy Laurin, Cindy Lai, Liz, Bhargav Pandravada, Rajath Durgada Manjunath, Dan Nguyen, sarim haq, Chin Beng Tan, Alejandro Gomez, Tom Boman, Karen Warner, Isorn Sookwanish, Iryna Panasiuk, Diane Gallin, Aaron Torres, Vasundhar, Eric Braun, Denka Wee, Daru Bhargav an Sonja Worzewski. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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How long should your naps be? - Sara C. Mednick

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