Listen to a few self-improvement experts, making it simple to convince yourself that napping is a secret weapon: not just a sticking plaster following restless night, but a route towards a better memory, better spirits and possibly quicker running times. Elite athletes do it regularly – as do professional piano players, UFC champions & media moguls. But if you lack a room for napping or a job that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the effort? Does there exist a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling better, rather than worse?
Understanding Your Drive to Snooze
“There are three primary motivations for napping among most adults,” notes a leading sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's termed compensatory napping, that is what happens following poor sleep the night before. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, which involves pre-empting sleep loss in the future, for instance when working on night shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially comes down to wanting: there is a moment to sleep in the daytime, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to consider, so, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors outside your control – for example, for a new parent, or if you are healing after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you’re napping because your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not as strong as required. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that napping must not be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and ideally should not occur in the late afternoon (based on the time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists discovered that crew members had up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this involved an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the perfect length of time, yet that often make people feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep inertia, that foggy state when you wake. “Research suggests it's more effective to take an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to plunge you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented upon awakening – however, if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more alert. However, if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it will affect how you sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Some experts recommend employing similar routines you use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and minimal light as you can manage. Others suggest that it's fine to simply nap in a chair in whatever light is present – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment you associate with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” says an expert. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and practically tell yourself to nod off. There must be some sleep pressure there to bring the sleep on initially. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to look for a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when you have few options – such as, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye while traveling or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “Coaching elite athletes, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
