Hear a few performance experts, and you'll be easy to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: more than a quick fix following a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards a better memory, better spirits and perhaps improved athletic performance. Premier League soccer players do it regularly – as do musicians, fighters and media moguls. Yet, when you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying Your Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for daytime sleep in the adult population,” notes a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “One is termed make-up sleep, which is what happens following a lack of sleep the previous night. Another is preparatory napping, which involves anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for example when working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which basically boils down to desire: there is a chance to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The first thing to do, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is being disrupted due to causes beyond your control – for instance, when you are a new parent, or recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap since your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that is frequently a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as required. In those cases, naps can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This implies that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on the time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. In one of the most referenced research on the subject, researchers at Nasa discovered that crew members showed improvements of over 50% in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “My advice is using an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority fall asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of guidance out there regarding the ideal number of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Studies indicates it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to send you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you extend it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing a natural sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
As for specific techniques, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend using the same protocol one would use to encourage restful sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Others suggest that one could merely snooze on the sofa with ambient lighting is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” says a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and practically command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to initiate sleep initially. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and naturally wake up without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to look for a time when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if you have few options – for example, when aiming to grab a quick nap during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
