Listen to a few self-improvement gurus, and it’s easy to believe that napping is a superpower: more than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a route to a better memory, a brighter outlook and maybe a faster 5k run time. Premier League soccer players are all at it – and so are musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages frequent naps, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Does there exist a surefire technique to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three key drivers for taking a nap among most adults,” notes a professor of sleep science professor. “Firstly, there's what we call recovery napping, which is what happens after experiencing poor sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are pre-empting sleep loss in the future, for instance if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about wanting: you have a moment to doze during the day, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to consider, then, is to examine your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons outside your control – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” says a sleep specialist. “Yet when you take a nap since your night sleep feels fragile or broken, that can be a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as required. In those cases, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the priority must always be a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that napping ought not to be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (based on when you retire overnight). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of a prominent study about napping, space agency scientists noted that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of guidance out there regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more anxious than anything else – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research indicates it's more effective to opt for a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to send you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish when you get up – whereas if you take it slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish a full cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Some experts suggest using comparable habits one would use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and as much darkness as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze in a chair in the existing light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the place you associate with nighttime rest. “Napping is quite challenging to force,” notes a specialist. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and basically instruct yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination present to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without a timer, however, what assists a lot of people is to look for a time that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and should options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to squeeze in 40 winks on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
