Listen to enough performance gurus, making it tempting to believe that a nap is a powerful tool: more than a band-aid after restless night, but a shortcut to a better memory, better spirits and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League athletes do it regularly – along with musicians, UFC champions and high-profile executives. But if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a career that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to merit the hassle? Is there a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you honestly promise you will get up feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“We can identify three primary motivations for napping among most adults,” says a leading circadian rhythm professor. “One is termed recovery napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. Another is prophylactic napping, when you are anticipating sleep loss in the future, for example when working overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which essentially comes down to the wish: you have an opportunity to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The initial step to do, so, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be really helpful when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons outside your control – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep physiologist. “However, if you’re napping as your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the main goal must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that napping ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your overnight rest, and preferably are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you go to bed in the evening). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. In one of the most referenced research about napping, experts found that astronauts showed improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this included an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of advice around regarding the optimal amount of minutes, but that tends to cause people to feel more worried than anything – and the least helpful action you can do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you awaken. “The science indicates it’s better to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to put you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more alert. But if you nap for a long period, it will affect your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose employing comparable habits you’d use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa in the existing light is present – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” notes an expert. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and practically tell yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination present to initiate sleep to begin with. For me, it's possible to nap during the day and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if you have few options – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in 40 winks while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
