Listen to a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s tempting to think that napping is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a path towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and perhaps improved athletic performance. Elite footballers do it regularly – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions & business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three primary motivations for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes a leading sleep and circadian science specialist. “One is termed make-up sleep, essentially what you do when you’ve had poor sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, which involves anticipating sleep loss coming up, for example during overnight shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which simply boils down to the wish: you have a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – such as, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep physiologist. “But if you’re napping since your night sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your sleep at night, and best shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (depending on what time you go to bed in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research on the subject, experts discovered that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% boost in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this involved an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the ideal number of time, yet that often cause people to feel more worried than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Research indicates it is preferable to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to put you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing a full cycle and should wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Some experts recommend employing the same protocol you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and minimal light as you can manage. Others suggest that one could just doze on the sofa in the existing light is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the place your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to will,” says a sleep coach. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to lie down and basically instruct yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some drive present to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate a moment that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if options are scarce – such as, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “Coaching footballers, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
