Listen to enough performance gurus, and it’s easy to think that a nap is a superpower: not just a sticking plaster after restless night, but a path to improved recall, better spirits and maybe improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players are all at it – as do professional piano players, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you don't have a room for napping or employment that allows regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to merit the effort? Does there exist a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling better, not worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“There are three key drivers for napping among most adults,” says a leading sleep science professor. “Firstly, there's known as make-up sleep, which is what happens after experiencing poor sleep overnight. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting sleep loss coming up, for instance during graveyard shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically is about wanting: there is a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The initial step to consider, then, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “Yet when you take a nap as your sleep at night is unstable or broken, that is frequently a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it should be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
Therefore that naps ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your sleep at night, and best shouldn’t take place post-3 p.m. (depending on when you sleep overnight). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa found that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “There is plenty of recommendations about the ideal number of time, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything else – and the worst thing you can do when attempting to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research would say it's more effective to have a longer nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” notes the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to send you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing a natural sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing an Ideal Snooze Setting
As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts suggest adopting the same protocol one would use to promote restful sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to just doze on a couch with ambient lighting is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the space your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to will,” notes a specialist. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to lie down and essentially tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be a natural inclination available to start the process initially. Personally, I can often nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for an instance that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if your choices are limited – such as, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
