Hear plenty of performance gurus, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that dozing is a superpower: more than a quick fix following poor sleep, but a shortcut to improved recall, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League footballers do it regularly – along with concert pianists, UFC champions & high-profile executives. Yet, when you haven’t got a room for napping or a career that encourages regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Exploring The Nap Motivation
“Experts note three primary motivations for daytime sleep among most adults,” notes an expert circadian rhythm specialist. “One is known as recovery napping, which is what happens following poor sleep the previous night. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, such as when working overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about the wish: there is a chance to sleep during the day, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The first thing to undertake, therefore, is to examine your reason for napping. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons you cannot change – for instance, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap as your night sleep seems unreliable or poor, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. In such situations, naps can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to affect your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended after about 3pm (depending on when you retire at night). What duration is wise? Advice differs. In one of the most referenced research regarding daytime sleep, experts noted that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this involved a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals are asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much advice around regarding the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the worst thing you can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, bypass the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Research suggests it's more effective to have a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – however, if you nap for a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more refreshed. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend using similar routines you use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that one could just doze on a couch in whatever light happens to be around – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bed as the space your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to force,” explains a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need a natural inclination there to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to nap in full light and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to wait for a moment when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – such as, if you’re trying to fit in 40 winks while traveling or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
