Tune into enough self-improvement gurus, and you'll be tempting to think that napping is a superpower: not just a quick fix after restless night, but a route towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Elite athletes are all at it – and so are concert pianists, fighters & business leaders. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that encourages regular snoozing, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, which is what happens following a lack of sleep the night before. The second is pre-emptive sleep, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for instance if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to the wish: you get a chance to nap during the day, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to do, then, is to think about your reason for napping. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors outside your control – such as, when you are caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you take a nap since your sleep at night seems unreliable or unreliable, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the focus must always be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This implies that naps ought not to be long enough to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on when you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists noted that crew members had a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this involved a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There is plenty of advice around about the optimal amount of minutes, yet that often make people feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing you can do when trying to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies indicates it’s better to take a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be completing of a sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Finding an Ideal Snooze Setting
As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals suggest using similar routines you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to simply nap in a chair in the existing light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” notes a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and practically tell yourself to fall asleep. You need a natural inclination there to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without an alarm, though, what aids a lot of people is to wait for a moment that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to grab a quick nap on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “When I’m working with footballers, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
