Hear a few self-improvement experts, and it’s tempting to think that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid following restless night, but a path towards improved recall, better spirits and maybe a faster 5k run time. Elite footballers are all at it – and so are professional piano players, mixed martial artists and high-profile executives. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep in the adult population,” says a professor of circadian rhythm professor. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, which is what you do following a lack of sleep overnight. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for example if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which simply is about the wish: there is a chance to doze during the day, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The first thing to do, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is being disrupted due to causes you cannot change – such as, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep expert. “But if you take a nap since your night sleep feels fragile or poor, that’s often an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not where required. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on the time you retire overnight). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa discovered that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this counted a six-minute long sleep onset time). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of guidance out there concerning the perfect length of time, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing one can do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “The science would say it's more effective to take an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – whereas if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing a full cycle and should get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Finding an Ideal Nap Environment
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Some experts recommend using comparable habits one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Some advise that one could simply nap on the sofa in the existing light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bed as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to force,” explains a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to lie down and basically tell yourself to go to sleep. There must be some drive available to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists a lot of people is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if you have few options – such as, if you’re trying to fit in some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I suggest that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
