Tune into enough self-improvement podcasters, and you'll be easy to think that dozing is a powerful tool: rather than a sticking plaster following poor sleep, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and maybe quicker running times. Elite footballers swear by it – as do concert pianists, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or a career that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to merit the effort? Is there a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap among most adults,” says an expert circadian rhythm researcher. “The first is known as make-up sleep, essentially the action you take after experiencing poor sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, which involves preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, for example when working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which basically boils down to the wish: you get an opportunity to doze in the daytime, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to undertake, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, for a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep physiologist. “But if you’re napping since your night sleep is unstable or broken, that’s often a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as required. In those cases, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the main goal ought to remain a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that naps shouldn’t be long enough to affect your overnight rest, and best should not occur after about 3pm (depending on what time you go to bed overnight). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers had up to a 54% increase in vigilance plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals are asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “There is plenty of guidance out there concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research indicates it is preferable to take a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more refreshed. However, if you nap for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Finding an Ideal Nap Environment
Regarding exact methodologies, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend adopting comparable habits one would use to encourage restful sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in the existing light happens to be around – to prevent sleep inertia and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the place your brain links with proper sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to will,” says a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be some sleep pressure available to bring the sleep on to begin with. I can usually snooze in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a time that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and if options are scarce – such as, when aiming to squeeze in 40 winks on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing a few tools. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
