Listen to plenty of performance experts, making it tempting to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a sticking plaster following a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, better spirits and possibly quicker running times. Premier League athletes swear by it – along with concert pianists, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a special sleep space or a job that permits frequent naps, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to justify the hassle? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes an expert sleep and circadian science professor. “One is termed recovery napping, essentially what happens when you’ve had insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, when you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, for example during graveyard shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to wanting: you get an opportunity to doze during the day, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The first thing to consider, then, is to think about your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – such as, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep physiologist. “Yet when you’re napping because your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not where required. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, not the solution. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Length
Therefore that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and preferably should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on the time you retire at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around concerning the ideal number of minutes, yet that often lead individuals to become more stressed above all – and the worst thing you can do while aiming to nod off is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, avoid the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Research suggests it's more effective to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish when you get up – however, if you extend it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose employing the same protocol you use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Some advise that you should just doze on a couch in whatever light is available – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the place your brain links with nighttime rest. “Napping is something really tricky to force,” says an expert. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and essentially command yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some drive there to bring the sleep on in the first place. For me, it's possible to take a nap during the day and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for a time when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to fit in some shut-eye on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
