Nap timer
Counts down 20 min, then beeps.
Space start/pause R reset Esc stop
Settings
Counts down 20 min, then beeps.
01
What this one is for
A nap timer is really a sleep-inertia timer. Ten to twenty minutes keeps you in light sleep, so you wake up sharper rather than worse, which is why the power nap number is what it is. Go to 30 or 40 and you are likely to surface out of deep sleep feeling heavier than before you lay down. The other clean option is a full 90 minute cycle, which wakes you at the end of one rather than the middle.
Twenty minutes is the default here because it is the version that works on a sofa, in a car park, or at a desk. Give yourself a few minutes to actually fall asleep and lie down knowing the clock is running. The screen stays awake while it runs, so the digits are there if you surface early and want to know how much is left.
Be honest with yourself about the alarm. It is a browser tone, so the tab has to stay open and the volume has to be up, and it will not push through a locked phone the way a system alarm does. If you sleep deeply or the nap actually matters, set your phone alarm as well and use this as the visible countdown. It is a timer in a tab, not an alarm clock.
02
Good for
- A 20 minute power nap
- A 10 minute reset between meetings
- A full 90 minute sleep cycle
- Lying down without oversleeping
- Timed rest before a night shift
03
How it runs
Counts down 20 min, then beeps. Press Start, or hit Space. The digits turn green while a work block runs and grey on rest.
Sound is on by default: a rising pair for work, a falling pair for rest, a tick for the last three seconds and a three-note finish. Mute with the speaker button. The screen stays on while the timer runs and the tab title shows the time left.
Change anything in Settings under the timer. The last setup you used on this page is remembered in your browser.
Questions people ask
- How long should a power nap be?
- Ten to twenty minutes. That keeps you in light sleep so you wake up alert rather than groggy. Thirty to sixty often produces the heavy feeling people blame on napping.
- Why is 90 minutes the other option?
- It is roughly one full sleep cycle, so you wake near the end of one instead of out of deep sleep. Anything in between is the worst of both.
- Will it wake me if my phone locks?
- Not reliably. The alarm is a browser tone, so keep the tab open and the volume up. If you sleep deeply, use your phone alarm as the backup.
- Should I count the time it takes to fall asleep?
- Add a few minutes for that. Most people take five to ten to drop off, so a 20 minute timer is usually closer to a 12 minute nap.