A Better Nap Environment: Light, Sound and Comfort

The basics: quiet, cool, dark

NHLBI’s sleep guidance recommends a quiet, cool and dark environment for sleep. [1] That applies to night sleep, but the same factors matter for a nap, even if you only rest for 20 minutes.

The good news: you can get close to these conditions with small tools, even in an office or on a train.

Light: darker makes it easier

Light is the strongest signal for your body clock and makes it harder to switch off. For a nap, close the blinds, turn your back to the window or use an eye mask.

An interesting study comes from intensive care research. Hu and colleagues exposed 14 healthy volunteers to recorded noise and light from an intensive care unit at night. Under these conditions, sleep was lighter and less restful. When the same participants used earplugs and eye masks, they had more REM sleep, fewer arousals and higher levels of the sleep hormone melatonin. [4]

That study looked at night sleep in a very noisy setting, but it shows how much simple tools can protect sleep from the environment.

Noise: why sounds wake you up

A review in The Lancet summarises the health effects of noise. Noise disturbs sleep, causes daytime sleepiness and can affect patients and staff in hospitals. [2] Even if you do not fully wake up, sudden sounds can make sleep lighter.

For a nap, you can:

• use foam or silicone earplugs,
• use calm, even background sounds that mask irregular noises,
• choose a spot away from doors, printers or loud conversations,
• tell others that you are taking a short break.

Temperature: not too warm, not too cold

Okamoto-Mizuno and Mizuno reviewed how temperature affects sleep. Both heat and cold increase wakefulness and reduce deep and REM sleep. With blankets and clothing, heat, especially humid heat, mainly disturbs the sleep stages. Cold changes them less, but it still affects the body, for example heart rhythm regulation, which is why suitable bedding matters. [3]

For a short nap, that means: if it is warm, lie on top of the blanket or open a window; if it is cool, a light blanket helps. Your body temperature also drops a little when you fall asleep, which is why many people like a light cover even in a warm room.

Position: lying down, reclining or sitting

Lying flat usually makes it easiest to relax. But a nap in a reclining chair or a comfortable armchair works too, and may even help you avoid sleeping too deeply.

• Support your neck with a cushion or travel pillow.
• Put your feet up if you can.
• Loosen tight clothing, belts or shoes.
• Make sure your phone or alarm is within reach but not right next to your ear.

A reliable alarm

Worrying about oversleeping is one of the main reasons people cannot relax. Test your alarm once in advance: Is it loud enough? Does it work in silent mode? Can you hear it with earplugs?

In Nap & Recharge, you can choose a wake-up sound and an optional vibration with fade-in. Test both on your own phone before you rely on them. If you use earplugs, vibration can be the more reliable signal.

Nap spots for different situations

Scroll the table sideways on small screens.

For workplace naps, our guide to napping at work covers agreements and planning. If settling down is the difficult part, read how to fall asleep for a nap.

Common questions about the nap environment

Is it better to nap in bed?

Not necessarily. Some people sleep too deeply in bed and prefer the sofa for a short nap.

Are eye masks and earplugs worth it?

For many people, yes. In the simulated intensive care study they improved sleep noticeably. [4]

Can I nap in a car?

Only when parked safely, with the engine off and good ventilation. Never nap while someone expects you to drive soon without time to wake up.