Tune into enough performance gurus, and it’s easy to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a route towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – and so are musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three primary motivations for taking a nap for many people,” explains a leading sleep science researcher. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, essentially what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep overnight. The second is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit in the future, for example if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to the wish: you have an opportunity to sleep during the day, and it feels nice to nap.”
The primary task to consider, so, is to examine your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when overnight rest gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or if you are healing after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep physiologist. “Yet when you’re napping as your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that’s often an indicator your sleep drive is not where required. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to disrupt your overnight rest, and best are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on the time you retire at night). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. In one of the most referenced research regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists found that space travelers had up to a 54% increase in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this included a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority doze off within 10 minutes,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much guidance out there about the ideal number of time, but that tends to cause people to feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies would say it’s better to take an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to put you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – whereas if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you nap for an hour and a half, it will affect how you sleep in the evening.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend using similar routines one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze on a couch with ambient lighting happens to be around – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says a sleep coach. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and practically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure there to bring the sleep on in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and wake up naturally without a timer, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for example, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to use some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
