Hear enough self-improvement podcasters, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that a nap is a secret weapon: rather than a quick fix following poor sleep, but a path to improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe quicker running times. Premier League athletes are all at it – along with concert pianists, mixed martial artists and media moguls. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Can you find a surefire technique to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three main reasons for napping for many people,” says a professor of sleep and circadian science specialist. “One is what we call recovery napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, where you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which basically is about the wish: you have a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it feels nice to nap.”
The initial step to undertake, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes outside your control – for example, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap as your nighttime sleep feels fragile or poor, that can be a signal your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This implies that napping ought not to be long enough to affect your nighttime sleep, and best shouldn’t take place post-3 p.m. (based on when you go to bed in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists discovered that crew members experienced up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend using an alarm for half an hour or less – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there regarding the ideal number of minutes, however, that can make people feel more stressed above all – and the least helpful action you can do when trying to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “Studies suggests it's more effective to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to put you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you take it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more alert. However, if you nap for an hour and a half, it may impact how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose employing the same protocol one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap in a chair in the existing light is available – both to discourage sleep inertia and to maintain your bedroom as the space your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be a natural inclination available to bring the sleep on initially. I can usually take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, but what helps many individuals is to wait for a moment when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if your choices are limited – for example, when aiming to fit in 40 winks during a commute or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong to employ some accessories. “Coaching elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
