Tune into enough self-improvement gurus, and it’s tempting to think that napping is a secret weapon: rather than a sticking plaster following a bad night’s sleep, but a path towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe a faster 5k run time. Premier League footballers swear by it – as do professional piano players, UFC champions & high-profile executives. Yet, when you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that allows regular snoozing, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for napping among most adults,” notes a professor of sleep and circadian science specialist. “One is what we call make-up sleep, which is the action you take after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep ahead, for example during overnight shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially comes down to desire: there is an opportunity to doze in the daytime, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The initial step to do, then, is to examine your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes you cannot change – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap as your sleep at night is unstable or unreliable, that’s often an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it should be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
Therefore that naps ought not to be too extended to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on what time you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among the most-cited studies about napping, experts found that astronauts experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of recommendations concerning the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do while aiming to nod off is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies would say it’s better to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – however, if you take it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be completing a full cycle and should awaken feeling more alert. However, if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep in the evening.”
Finding an Ideal Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Some experts propose adopting the same protocol one would use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and minimal light as possible. Others suggest that one could just doze in a chair in whatever light is present – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bed as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is notoriously difficult to will,” says an expert. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and essentially command yourself to nod off. There’s got to be a natural inclination available to bring the sleep on in the first place. I can usually take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without an alarm, but what helps many individuals is to look for a moment that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to employ some accessories. “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
