Hear enough performance podcasters, making it tempting to think that a nap is a superpower: rather than a sticking plaster after restless night, but a route to improved recall, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Premier League soccer players swear by it – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions & high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a career that allows regular snoozing, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the effort? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for napping for many people,” says a professor of sleep science professor. “One is what we call compensatory napping, that is what happens when you’ve had insufficient sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit coming up, such as if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to the wish: you get a moment to nap during the day, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Napping can be really helpful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors beyond your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you’re napping since your night sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not as strong as required. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a solid and consistent sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Length
Therefore that napping must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on the time you sleep overnight). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. In one of the most referenced research about napping, experts found that astronauts had improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people doze off quickly,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of advice around about the optimal amount of minutes, but that tends to cause people to feel more worried above all – and the least helpful action you can possibly do when trying to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “The science suggests it is preferable to take a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the expert. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. However, if you nap for 90 minutes, it will affect the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Perfect Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, advice differs. A few professionals propose adopting the same protocol you use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on a couch with ambient lighting is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the place your brain links with proper sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to will,” says a sleep coach. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and essentially tell yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination there to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually nap during the day and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to wait for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when you have few options – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – it's acceptable to employ a few tools. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
