Tune into enough self-improvement experts, and it’s tempting to think that a nap is a superpower: more than a quick fix after poor sleep, but a route towards a better memory, better spirits and maybe improved athletic performance. Professional athletes swear by it – as do concert pianists, fighters and business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a room for napping or a job that allows regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? And can you honestly promise you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Exploring The Drive to Snooze
“There are three key drivers for taking a nap for many people,” notes a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “One is termed make-up sleep, which is what happens following a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, for example during graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about the wish: you have a chance to doze in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The first thing to undertake, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons beyond your control – for example, if you’re a new parent, or recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
Therefore that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to interfere with your sleep at night, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on when you retire at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts discovered that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this involved a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep quickly,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action one can do when trying to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “The science would say it is preferable to take an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be completing a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more alert. But if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it will affect how you sleep later that night.”
Creating the Right Nap Environment
As for exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose employing comparable habits you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that one could merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is present – to avoid sleep inertia and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to command,” says a sleep coach. “Lacking any sleepiness, it becomes harder to lie down and essentially command yourself to nod off. There’s got to be some drive available to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to grab 40 winks during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
