Listen to a few self-improvement podcasters, and you'll be tempting to convince yourself that a nap is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – along with professional piano players, mixed martial artists and business leaders. Yet, when you don't have a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to justify the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a professor of sleep science specialist. “One is known as compensatory napping, which is what you do when you’ve had a lack of sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, where you are pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, for example when working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which simply comes down to wanting: you have a chance to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to consider, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be really helpful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for instance, when you are a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing after being ill or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap because your night sleep seems unreliable or broken, that can be a signal your sleep drive is not at the level required. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
Therefore that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your sleep at night, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (based on the time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts noted that space travelers experienced improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations about the perfect length of minutes, however, that can make people feel more worried above all – and the worst thing you can do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you wake. “The science would say it is preferable to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish when you get up – however, if you nap for a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more refreshed. But if you’re sleeping for a long period, it will affect the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Right Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. Some experts propose using comparable habits one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that you should merely snooze on a couch in the existing light is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” explains an expert. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need a natural inclination available to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and naturally wake up without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to look for a moment that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable to employ some accessories. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I recommend that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
