Tune into enough performance experts, and you'll be tempting to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: rather than a sticking plaster after restless night, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and perhaps improved athletic performance. Elite footballers swear by it – and so are professional piano players, UFC champions & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or employment that permits daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a surefire technique to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three main reasons for napping for many people,” says a professor of circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is termed recovery napping, which is what you do when you’ve had a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit in the future, such as if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about wanting: you have an opportunity to nap during the day, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – such as, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from illness or intense exercise,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or poor, that is frequently a signal your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
Therefore that napping shouldn’t be too extended to affect your nighttime sleep, and preferably should not occur after about 3pm (depending on the time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists discovered that space travelers showed up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% boost in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority doze off in under ten minutes,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of advice around concerning the ideal number of minutes, however, that can make people feel more worried than anything – and the worst thing one can do when trying to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “The science indicates it's more effective to have a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to plunge you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you nap for slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you nap for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals suggest using similar routines one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Some advise that it's fine to just doze on a couch in the existing light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the environment your brain links with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” explains an expert. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and essentially command yourself to fall asleep. You need some sleep pressure available to bring the sleep on to begin with. For me, it's possible to take a nap in full light and awaken on my own alarm-free, however, what assists many individuals is to wait for a time that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should you have few options – such as, when aiming to grab 40 winks on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
