Tune into a few performance experts, and you'll be easy to convince yourself that a nap is a superpower: more than a quick fix following restless night, but a path towards a better memory, a brighter outlook and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite footballers are all at it – as do concert pianists, fighters and high-profile executives. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or a career that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for napping for many people,” notes a professor of sleep science researcher. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, essentially what you do after experiencing a lack of sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, for example when working graveyard shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to the wish: there is an opportunity to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The first thing to do, then, is to think about why you want to nap. “Napping can be really helpful when night sleeping is being disrupted due to causes beyond your control – such as, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from illness or intense exercise,” states a sleep physiologist. “Yet when you take a nap as your nighttime sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often an indicator your need for sleep is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, naps can become part of the issue, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for temporary issues – the main goal must always be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Length
Therefore that napping ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to affect your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you sleep overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists discovered that crew members experienced improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “You'll find much guidance out there regarding the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do while aiming to nod off is worry about it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “The science would say it is preferable to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to put you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing of a sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more alert. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose adopting the same protocol one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to just doze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to recline and essentially tell yourself to nod off. There must be some drive present to bring the sleep on in the first place. I can usually take a nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up without a timer, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if you have few options – such as, when aiming to fit in some shut-eye on a train or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
