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It would have been really interesting to see if power naps had any effect on the performance of the subjects that were deprived of sleep.

My personal experience is that 15 minutes in the horizontal position improves my awareness and performance. An additional hack is to drink an espresso the moment before you take your power nap - the effect of the caffeine will kick in in about 15 minutes after consumption.

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Or the "siesta" style of sleep generally. That is, the pattern of having a nap in the day and a shorter nighttime sleep.

I've tried a bi-phasic sleep cycle (2 short sleep cycles; 3-4 hours a "day" each time, with a 3-6 hour wake cycle in between) for a few weeks. It worked well enough for me, but with a 10 year old at home, I just couldn't make the timing work out.

I'm one that needs at least 8 hours a night; 9 is better.

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