Tune into plenty of performance gurus, and it’s easy to think that napping is a superpower: not just a sticking plaster after a bad night’s sleep, but a path to enhanced cognition, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players are all at it – along with musicians, UFC champions & media moguls. Yet, when you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will get up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep for many people,” notes an expert sleep science specialist. “One is known as recovery napping, that is what happens when you’ve had poor sleep the previous night. The second is pre-emptive sleep, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep in the future, for instance when working overnight shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to wanting: you get a chance to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to nap.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – such as, when you are a new parent, or if you are healing from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “However, if you’re napping because your sleep at night seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be a sign your body's sleep pressure is not where required. In such situations, naps can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
This means that naps ought not to be long enough to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on the time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists found that astronauts had up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, 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 in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much recommendations concerning the perfect length of time, however, that can cause people to feel more anxious above all – and the worst thing you can do when trying to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it's more effective to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you nap for slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. But if you nap for an hour and a half, it will affect the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
Regarding precise methods, recommendations vary. A few professionals suggest adopting similar routines one would use to encourage restful sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that you should just doze on a couch in whatever light is present – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your bed as the environment your brain links with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to will,” says a specialist. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it becomes harder to get comfortable and essentially instruct yourself to nod off. There must be some drive available to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and naturally wake up without a timer, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for an instance where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and when options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
