Tune into enough self-improvement gurus, making it simple to believe that napping is a secret weapon: not just a sticking plaster following restless night, but a path towards enhanced cognition, better spirits and perhaps quicker running times. Professional footballers swear by it – as do concert pianists, mixed martial artists and media moguls. Yet, when you don't have a dedicated nap-room or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep for it to be worth the effort? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap for many people,” notes a leading sleep science specialist. “One is termed compensatory napping, essentially what happens after experiencing insufficient sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, where you are pre-empting sleep loss ahead, such as during graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which simply is about the wish: there is an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The initial step to consider, therefore, is to think about your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons beyond your control – for example, for a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing after being ill or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap since your sleep at night seems unreliable or poor, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it needs to be. In those cases, naps can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
Therefore that napping shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your sleep at night, and preferably are not recommended in the late afternoon (contingent on what time you retire overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. Among a prominent study on the subject, researchers at Nasa noted that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this involved an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much recommendations concerning the perfect length of time, however, that can make people feel more worried above all – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you wake. “Studies indicates it's more effective to have a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – whereas if you nap for slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to finish a natural sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more refreshed. But if you nap for an hour and a half, it can influence how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend using the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to just doze on a couch with ambient lighting is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is notoriously difficult to force,” says an expert. “Lacking any sleepiness, it becomes harder to lie down and practically instruct yourself to nod off. There must be some drive there to bring the sleep on in the first place. I can usually snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and then simply ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should your choices are limited – for example, when aiming to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “In my work with footballers, I suggest that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
