20-Minute Timer
Press start. It counts down to zero and rings an alarm — nothing to download, nothing to sign up for.
About this 20-minute timer
A one-click 20-minute countdown, most often used for a short nap, a study sprint before a break, or letting food rest after cooking. It runs in your browser and rings when it reaches zero.
The optimal nap length
Twenty minutes is the nap length sleep researchers most often recommend. It keeps you in the lighter stages of sleep, so you get the alertness benefit without waking mid-deep-sleep and feeling worse than before — the grogginess known as sleep inertia. It's also a solid study sprint and the standard rest for a roast before carving.
20 minutes in other units
| Seconds | 1,200 |
|---|---|
| Minutes | 20 |
| Hours | 0.333 |
| Milliseconds | 1,200,000 |
| Share of a day | 1.39% |
Tips for using a 20-minute timer
- For a power nap, 20 minutes is the ceiling before you risk deep sleep and wake up groggy.
- Nap earlier in the day — after about 3pm it starts eating into your night's sleep.
- Resting meat for 20 minutes after roasting lets juices redistribute; slicing early loses them to the board.
Frequently asked questions
How do I set a 20-minute timer?
Press Start above and the page counts down from 20 minutes on its own — nothing to type. Need a little longer? Press +1 min while it runs, or pick a nearby duration from the list.
How many seconds are in 20 minutes?
20 minutes is 1,200 seconds — 20 minutes or 0.333 hours. That's 1.39% of a day.
What is a 20-minute timer good for?
People commonly use a 20-minute timer for a short nap, a study sprint before a break, or letting food rest after cooking.
Will it keep time if I switch tabs?
Yes. The countdown is measured against your device clock rather than counting screen refreshes, so it stays accurate in a background tab and the alarm fires on time. Some browsers need one click on the page before they allow sound.