Tune into a few productivity experts, and it’s easy to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: not just a sticking plaster after a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards a better memory, a brighter outlook and possibly quicker running times. Premier League soccer players swear by it – as do concert pianists, fighters and media moguls. But if you lack a special sleep space or a job that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three primary motivations for daytime sleep in the adult population,” says an expert sleep and circadian science specialist. “The first is termed recovery napping, essentially what you do after experiencing poor sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for instance if you’re working on night shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply boils down to the wish: you get an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is consider your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons you cannot change – for instance, when you are a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing from illness or intense exercise,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you nap because your sleep at night feels fragile or broken, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Length
Therefore that napping ought not to be too extended to affect your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you go to bed at night). What duration is wise? Advice differs. In one of a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% increase in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people are asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more anxious than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “Research suggests it’s better to have a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to plunge you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – whereas if you take it slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be on the end a full cycle and should wake up feeling more refreshed. But if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it will affect how you sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest adopting comparable habits one would use to foster restful sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and minimal light as possible. Others suggest that it's fine to just doze in a chair in the existing light happens to be around – to prevent sleep inertia and to preserve your bedroom as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to will,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and practically tell yourself to nod off. There must be some sleep pressure there to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to squeeze in 40 winks while traveling or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
