Listen to plenty of performance gurus, and it’s simple to think that dozing is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid following restless night, but a route towards improved recall, improved mood and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Premier League soccer players are all at it – and so are musicians, UFC champions and high-profile executives. Yet, when you don't have a special sleep space or a career that encourages daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” explains a leading sleep science researcher. “Firstly, there's known as compensatory napping, that is what you do following a lack of sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting sleep loss in the future, for instance during graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially boils down to wanting: you get a moment to doze in the daytime, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted due to causes beyond your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap because your night sleep is unstable or poor, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
Therefore that napping must not be too extended to disrupt your sleep at night, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (depending on the time you retire overnight). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among a prominent study on the subject, researchers at Nasa noted that crew members showed up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% increase in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority doze off quickly,” notes a specialist. “There’s a lot of advice around regarding the ideal number of time, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do when trying to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “Studies indicates it’s better to take an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – while if you extend it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more refreshed. However, if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it will affect the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
Regarding specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose employing comparable habits you’d use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to will,” notes a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to get comfortable and practically instruct yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination available to bring the sleep on initially. I can usually snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without a timer, but what helps many individuals is to wait for a time that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and when your choices are limited – such as, if you’re trying to fit in 40 winks while traveling or at the office – it is perfectly fine to use a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
