Listen to a few self-improvement gurus, making it tempting to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster after restless night, but a route towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players swear by it – as do professional piano players, UFC champions and high-profile executives. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to justify the effort? Does there exist a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three primary motivations for taking a nap among most adults,” notes an expert circadian rhythm professor. “Firstly, there's what we call make-up sleep, that is what happens after experiencing poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting insufficient sleep in the future, such as during overnight shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which simply comes down to the wish: there is a chance to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The initial step to consider, so, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted for reasons outside your control – for example, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” says a sleep physiologist. “Yet when you’re napping because your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that is frequently an indicator your sleep drive is not as strong as required. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Use napping for brief periods to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent sleep at night.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
This implies that naps ought not to be too extended to disrupt your overnight rest, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on when you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists found that crew members showed improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority fall asleep quickly,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there about the perfect length of time, yet that often cause people to feel more worried above all – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research suggests it's more effective to have a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to send you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – however, if you extend it slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more refreshed. However, if you nap for a long period, it can influence your sleep in the evening.”
Finding an Ideal Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Some experts recommend using comparable habits you’d use to foster restful sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that one could just doze on the sofa with ambient lighting is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the place your mind associates with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to nod off. You need some sleep pressure available to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and then simply ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they don’t get used to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
