Tune into plenty of self-improvement gurus, and you'll be easy to think that napping is a superpower: rather than a quick fix following a bad night’s sleep, but a path to enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Professional footballers do it regularly – and so are professional piano players, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to merit the effort? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling better, rather than worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three primary motivations for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a leading sleep science researcher. “Firstly, there's known as make-up sleep, essentially the action you take following poor sleep the night before. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep ahead, such as during graveyard shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which simply comes down to desire: there is a chance to doze in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The first thing to do, then, is to think about your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when night sleeping gets interrupted for reasons outside your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or if you are healing after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep physiologist. “However, if you take a nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or poor, that is frequently a sign your sleep drive is not at the level required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
This implies that naps ought not to be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally should not occur in the late afternoon (contingent on what time you sleep at night). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists discovered that crew members experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there concerning the ideal number of minutes, however, that can cause people to feel more stressed above all – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies indicates it's more effective to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – whereas if you nap for a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and are likely to get up feeling more alert. Though if you nap for an hour and a half, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend employing similar routines you use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Some advise that one could merely snooze in a chair in whatever light is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the space your brain links with nighttime rest. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” explains a specialist. “Without any sleepiness, it becomes harder to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be some drive present to bring the sleep on to begin with. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to look for a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and then simply relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – for example, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
