Tune into a few performance gurus, making it tempting to think that a nap is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid after restless night, but a path to improved recall, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Professional athletes do it regularly – and so are professional piano players, UFC champions and high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or employment that permits frequent naps, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm professor. “Firstly, there's what we call make-up sleep, which is what happens when you’ve had a lack of sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, which involves preparing for insufficient sleep in the future, such as if you’re working overnight shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically boils down to desire: you get a chance to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – such as, for a new parent, or if you are healing from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap because your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or broken, that is frequently a sign your need for sleep is not where required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Length
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be long enough to interfere with your overnight rest, and preferably are not recommended after about 3pm (contingent on the time you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies about napping, experts discovered that crew members had up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute long sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” says a specialist. “You'll find much advice around regarding the perfect length for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more anxious than anything else – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, avoid the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Studies would say it’s better to have a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you extend it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to finish of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Creating the Perfect Sleep Space
Regarding precise methods, suggestions are diverse. Some experts suggest using similar routines you use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that it's fine to simply nap on a couch with ambient lighting is available – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bed as the environment your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to force,” explains a sleep coach. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to get comfortable and practically command yourself to fall asleep. There must be some sleep pressure available to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to fit in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – it's acceptable to employ sleep aids. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I advise that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
