Tune into plenty of performance gurus, making it easy to believe that a nap is a secret weapon: rather than a quick fix after poor sleep, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League soccer players are all at it – as do musicians, UFC champions & high-profile executives. But if you haven’t got a special sleep space or employment that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the effort? Can you find a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three primary motivations for daytime sleep among most adults,” says an expert sleep and circadian science professor. “The first is known as recovery napping, which is the action you take when you’ve had insufficient sleep the night before. The second is pre-emptive sleep, where you are preparing for sleep loss ahead, for example if you’re working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about desire: you get a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to consider, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Naps can be genuinely useful when night sleeping is disturbed due to causes you cannot change – for example, for a new parent, or recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep expert. “Yet when you nap since your nighttime sleep feels fragile or poor, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as it should be. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the focus must always be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on when you sleep at night). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists noted that crew members had up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the optimal amount of minutes, yet that often make people feel more anxious above all – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep inertia, that foggy state when you awaken. “Studies suggests it’s better to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – however, if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you nap for a long period, it may impact your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Perfect Snooze Setting
Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend adopting similar routines you’d use to promote restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and minimal light as you can manage. Some advise that one could just doze on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your bedroom as the space your brain links with nighttime rest. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and practically tell yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination available to start the process initially. I can usually snooze during the day and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to look for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and when options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
