Hear enough performance experts, making it simple to convince yourself that dozing is a powerful tool: more than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a route to a better memory, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – along with musicians, fighters and media moguls. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the effort? Does there exist a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap among most adults,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm professor. “The first is termed recovery napping, that is what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is pre-emptive sleep, which involves anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, for example when working on night shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which basically comes down to desire: you get an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The primary task to consider, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons you cannot change – for example, for caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap because your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level required. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the focus should still be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Length
Therefore that naps shouldn’t be too extended to affect your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on what time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists found that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals are asleep quickly,” notes a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, yet that often cause people to feel more worried above all – and the worst thing you can do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Studies indicates it is preferable to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is long enough to put you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you take it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish a natural sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more refreshed. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Right Sleep Space
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. Some experts propose employing the same protocol you use to foster a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Some advise that you should just doze on the sofa with ambient lighting is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and practically command yourself to nod off. You need some drive present to bring the sleep on to begin with. Personally, I can often nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, however, what assists most folks is to look for a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – for example, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
