power nap
/ˈpaʊər næp/
CommonA short sleep, usually 10-30 minutes, taken to quickly restore energy.
Often framed as productive or smart rather than lazy. The word 'power' does a lot of work here.
Real-world examples4 examples
| # | Example | What it means | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | gonna power nap before the gym | Taking a short sleep to recover energy before working out. | x, 2024 |
| 02 | 20 minute power nap and i feel like a new person | A short nap had a noticeably restorative effect. | x, 2023 |
| 03 | my boss calls it 'closing my eyes to think'. it's a power nap. | Someone is taking a nap at work but calling it something else. | |
| 04 | power napped for 45 min and now i'm somehow more tired | Slept too long and woke up groggy instead of refreshed. | x, 2024 |
Use it when
- You take a short daytime nap and want to frame it positively.
- Someone is visibly tired and needs a quick reset.
- You nap for under 30 minutes on purpose.
Do not use it when
- You slept for 2+ hours. That is not a power nap.Use “nap” instead.
- You just mean sleeping at night.
Variations and related forms
Power nap vs cat nap
power nap
Power nap implies intentionality and optimization. You set a timer. You planned it.
VS
cat-nap
Cat nap is more casual. You just dozed off wherever.
Origin and context
Popularized in the 1980s and 90s as sleep research started distinguishing short restorative naps from longer sleep cycles. The word 'power' reframed napping as a performance tool rather than a sign of laziness.
- First seen
- 1980s
- Confidence
- medium
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https://slang.fyi/power-napUpdated: 2026-08-29License: CC BY 4.0