Listen to a few productivity gurus, making it easy to convince yourself that napping is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix after poor sleep, but a path to enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players do it regularly – along with musicians, mixed martial artists and business leaders. However, if you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that permits daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will arise feeling better, not worse?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three primary motivations for napping in the adult population,” says a professor of sleep science researcher. “One is termed recovery napping, which is what happens following a lack of sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, where you are anticipating a sleep deficit ahead, for instance if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to wanting: there is an opportunity to nap during the day, and it feels nice to nap.”
The first thing to consider, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for example, if you’re a new parent, or recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your night sleep seems unreliable or poor, that can be a signal your body's sleep pressure is not where required. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the main goal ought to remain a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that naps shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on what time you retire at night). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists noted that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals fall asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much advice around regarding the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often cause people to feel more stressed above all – and the most counterproductive thing you can do while aiming to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “The science would say it's more effective to opt for a longer nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is long enough to put you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – however, if you nap for a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it can influence how you sleep that night.”
Establishing the Right Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, advice differs. Some experts suggest employing the same protocol you use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and as much darkness as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze on the sofa with ambient lighting is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and practically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination available to initiate sleep to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own alarm-free, but what helps a lot of people is to wait for a moment when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and when you have few options – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
