Tune into a few self-improvement experts, and you'll be tempting to think that a nap is a superpower: not just a band-aid following restless night, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and maybe improved athletic performance. Premier League athletes are all at it – as do musicians, fighters & high-profile executives. But if you don't have a room for napping or a career that encourages daytime sleep, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a short sleep to merit the hassle? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling better, instead of groggy?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“There are three main reasons for daytime sleep in the adult population,” says a professor of circadian rhythm specialist. “One is termed make-up sleep, that is what you do after experiencing poor sleep the night before. Another is prophylactic napping, which involves anticipating a sleep deficit in the future, for instance when working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about wanting: you have a chance to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is being disrupted because of factors beyond your control – for instance, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “However, if you nap because your night sleep is unstable or poor, that can be an indicator your sleep drive is not as strong as it needs to be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus ought to remain a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that napping ought not to be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur in the late afternoon (depending on the time you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. Among a prominent study about napping, space agency scientists found that astronauts experienced a boost of up to 54% in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off within 10 minutes,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there about the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can lead individuals to become more worried above all – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies indicates it is preferable to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel sluggish when you get up – whereas if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and should get up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for a long period, it may impact how you sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
Regarding precise methods, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose using the same protocol you’d use to promote restful sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that one could simply nap on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to avoid that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the place you associate with proper sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to will,” says a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to lie down and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be some drive there to bring the sleep on in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and wake up naturally alarm-free, but what helps many individuals is to wait for an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when you have few options – such as, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong to use a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
