Listen to a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s simple to convince yourself that a nap is a secret weapon: rather than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and possibly quicker running times. Elite footballers do it regularly – and so are musicians, UFC champions and media moguls. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that allows frequent naps, are there *really* enough benefits to a quick nap for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three main reasons for taking a nap among most adults,” notes an expert sleep science researcher. “The first is what we call recovery napping, that is what you do following a lack of sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, such as during on night shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to wanting: there is an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to consider, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes outside your control – for instance, for a new parent, or recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep expert. “Yet when you take a nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not where it should be. In those cases, naps can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
This means that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended after about 3pm (based on what time you go to bed overnight). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. From a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, experts noted that astronauts had a boost of up to 54% in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “There is plenty of recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can lead individuals to become more stressed than anything else – and the least helpful action you can possibly do while aiming to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that foggy state when you wake. “Studies would say it is preferable to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is long enough to put you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – while if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. But if you nap for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend adopting similar routines one would use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that you should just doze on a couch in whatever light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to command,” notes a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and practically instruct yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure there to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate a time when they are naturally slightly tired and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in 40 winks on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use a few tools. “In my work with footballers, I suggest that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
