Listen to plenty of self-improvement experts, and you'll be tempting to think that dozing is a superpower: rather than a sticking plaster following poor sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and perhaps improved athletic performance. Elite footballers do it regularly – as do professional piano players, mixed martial artists and high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a special sleep space or employment that encourages daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for napping for many people,” notes an expert sleep and circadian science specialist. “Firstly, there's known as make-up sleep, that is what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the night before. Another is pre-emptive sleep, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep coming up, such as during overnight shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically boils down to wanting: you get a moment to doze during the day, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to consider, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap as your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or broken, that is frequently a signal your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This implies that daytime sleep must not be long enough to affect your nighttime sleep, and preferably are not recommended after about 3pm (based on the time you sleep at night). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. In one of the most referenced research on the subject, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this counted an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep expert. “You'll find much advice around regarding the perfect length for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies indicates it’s better to opt for a longer nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” explains the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is sufficient to send you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – while if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a full cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more alert. Though if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Sleep Space
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend using the same protocol one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that one could simply nap on a couch in the existing light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bed as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to command,” explains a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and basically command yourself to nod off. You need some drive present to initiate sleep in the first place. I can usually take a nap in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to look for an instance when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should your choices are limited – for instance, when aiming to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
