Hear enough performance gurus, and it’s easy to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Premier League athletes swear by it – along with concert pianists, UFC champions & business leaders. But if you don't have a special sleep space or a career that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the hassle? Is there a surefire technique to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three primary motivations for napping in the adult population,” notes a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is known as make-up sleep, which is what happens when you’ve had insufficient sleep overnight. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, where you are preparing for sleep loss ahead, for example if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to wanting: you have a chance to doze during the day, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be really helpful when overnight rest is disturbed due to causes outside your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that’s often an indicator your sleep drive is not where it should be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the problem, not the solution. Employ naps as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your overnight rest, and best shouldn’t take place post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you go to bed overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. In one of the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists discovered that crew members experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted a six-minute long sleep onset time). “I recommend using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much recommendations about the ideal number of time, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when trying to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “The science indicates it is preferable to take an extended nap of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” says the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – while if you take it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be completing a natural sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest adopting similar routines you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and minimal light as possible. Others suggest that you should merely snooze on a couch in the existing light is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and practically instruct yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination available to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and when you have few options – for instance, if attempting to fit in 40 winks on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with footballers, I suggest that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
