Hear a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s simple to think that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a route to a better memory, improved mood and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Premier League athletes are all at it – along with musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages daytime sleep, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep for many people,” explains a professor of sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's termed compensatory napping, essentially what happens following insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are preparing for a sleep deficit ahead, such as if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to the wish: you get a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The primary task to do, then, is to think about your nap motivation. “Naps can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for instance, when you are a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep physiologist. “However, if you nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that is frequently a sign your need for sleep is not as strong as required. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This implies that naps ought not to be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur after about 3pm (based on when you retire overnight). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa noted that crew members had up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much guidance out there about the ideal number of time, but that tends to make people feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “The science suggests it’s better to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel groggy when you get up – however, if you extend it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you nap for a long period, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest employing the same protocol you’d use to promote a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in whatever light happens to be around – to avoid sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to command,” explains a sleep coach. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is tougher to get comfortable and essentially command yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure present to bring the sleep on in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they don’t get used to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
