Hear plenty of self-improvement podcasters, making it simple to think that a nap is a superpower: more than a quick fix following a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Professional footballers do it regularly – and so are professional piano players, mixed martial artists & high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or employment that permits regular snoozing, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a short sleep to merit the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Drive to Snooze
“There are three key drivers for daytime sleep among most adults,” says a professor of circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is termed make-up sleep, that is the action you take when you’ve had poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, where you are anticipating sleep loss ahead, such as during overnight shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to the wish: you get an opportunity to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be genuinely useful when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – for instance, when you are a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing after being ill or strenuous activity,” states a sleep expert. “Yet when you nap since your night sleep seems unreliable or poor, that’s often an indicator your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the focus ought to remain a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Length
Therefore that napping shouldn’t be long enough to interfere with your sleep at night, and best are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on what time you retire at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists found that crew members showed a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this included a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend setting an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals doze off within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything else – and the worst thing you can do when attempting to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research would say it is preferable to take a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a natural sleep cycle and should get up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating the Perfect Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend using the same protocol one would use to foster restful sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that you should simply nap on a couch with ambient lighting is available – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to force,” notes a specialist. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to nod off. You need some drive there to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if attempting to fit in a quick nap during a commute or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
