20 Minute Timer
Press Start and it counts down 20 minutes on a big display, then rings with the sound you pick. Space starts and pauses.
Sound and moreBell
A different length
20 minutes
Alarm: Bell
Spacestart or pauseRreset+ / −a minuteFfull screenMmute
What twenty minutes is good for
Twenty minutes is the classic power-nap length. The Sleep Foundation suggests napping for about 20 minutes and no more than 30: long enough for light sleep that leaves you more alert, short enough to wake before deep sleep makes you groggy. Lie down, start the timer and choose a sound that will wake you without a jolt.
It is also the interval in the 20-20-20 rule for screen work: every 20 minutes, look at something about 20 feet (6 metres) away for 20 seconds. Run this timer while you work, treat each ring as the cue, then press Reset to begin the next twenty. Otherwise, twenty minutes fits a short run, a guided meditation, one chapter of a book or a check on something in a slow cooker. If you want to cover a long afternoon at a desk, three rings of this timer make an hour, which pairs well with a stretch at the end.
- The Sleep Foundation recommends naps of about 20 minutes and no longer than 30, so the napper gets light sleep that boosts alertness without entering deep sleep. Source: Sleep Foundation, Napping.
- The American Optometric Association’s 20-20-20 rule: take a 20-second break to view something 20 feet away every 20 minutes. Source: American Optometric Association, Computer vision syndrome.
20 minutes split into equal intervals
Every way to cut 20 minutes into equal parts of at least 5 seconds, for rounds, turns or reps.
| Equal parts | Each part (m:ss) | Each part in seconds |
|---|---|---|
| 2 × 10 minutes | 10:00 | 600 |
| 3 × 6 min 40 s | 6:40 | 400 |
| 4 × 5 minutes | 5:00 | 300 |
| 5 × 4 minutes | 4:00 | 240 |
| 6 × 3 min 20 s | 3:20 | 200 |
| 10 × 2 minutes | 2:00 | 120 |
| 12 × 1 min 40 s | 1:40 | 100 |
| 15 × 1 min 20 s | 1:20 | 80 |
| 20 × 1 minute | 1:00 | 60 |
| 30 × 40 seconds | 0:40 | 40 |
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| 60 × 20 seconds | 0:20 | 20 |
20 minutes in other units
| Unit | Value |
|---|---|
| Seconds | 1,200 |
| Milliseconds | 1,200,000 |
| Hours | 0.3333 |
| Share of a day | 1.389% |
| Times it fits in a day | 72 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should a power nap be?
About 20 minutes, and no longer than 30, according to the Sleep Foundation. That gives you light sleep that boosts alertness without reaching deep sleep, which is what leaves people groggy after a long afternoon nap. Allow a few minutes to drift off when you set it.
What is the 20-20-20 rule?
Every 20 minutes of screen time, look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds. The American Optometric Association recommends it to give your eyes a chance to refocus. A 20-minute timer, reset after each little break, is an easy way to remember it.
How do I wake up gently with a timer?
Pick the softest sound before you start and set the volume to a level that would rouse you from light sleep without startling you. Test it once where you will leave it, keep the phone plugged in and leave the page open, because a closed tab can’t ring.