>>12734929>Is there a scientific explanation why we wake up from naps feeling worse than we did before we fall asleepYes, your sleep cycle has four stages + REM.
When you take a nap, depending on how long it is, you could be in the middle of the 3rd or 4th stage when you get jolted awake. This is where you have the least brain activity, so jumping from this stage all the way to stage 1 and then awake is an overwhelming feeling.
This is why 20min naps are recommended because you won't get past stage 1 and will wake up fine. It's also why if you go to bed at a different time every night at wake up a different time, you'll feel groggy even if you got more sleep than someone who wakes up at 6am everyday. You circadian rhythm and your sleep cycle starts to predict when you go to sleep and wake up over time, putting you in stage 1 right before your scheduled wake up time. If you have no constancy, you'll be waking up in stage 3 or 4 or even REM every morning and feel like shit.
