Listen to enough performance gurus, and it’s tempting to think that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster after poor sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, better spirits and possibly quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – as do concert pianists, mixed martial artists and media moguls. However, if you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* enough benefits to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Does there exist a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three main reasons for napping in the adult population,” says a professor of sleep science professor. “One is what we call compensatory napping, essentially the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, when you are anticipating sleep loss ahead, for instance if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about desire: you have a moment to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to consider, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – such as, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep physiologist. “Yet when you nap since your night sleep is unstable or broken, that is frequently an indicator your need for sleep is not at the level required. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This implies that naps ought not to be long enough to affect your overnight rest, and preferably are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on when you retire in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. Among a prominent study about napping, researchers at Nasa discovered that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this involved a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “My advice is using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the perfect length of minutes, however, that can cause people to feel more anxious than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when trying to nod off is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it’s better to have a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to send you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel groggy when you get up – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a 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 an Ideal Sleep Space
When it comes to precise methods, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest using similar routines you’d use to promote restful sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa with ambient lighting is present – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the space you associate with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to command,” notes a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and basically instruct yourself to nod off. There must be a natural inclination present to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and naturally wake up alarm-free, however, what assists most folks is to wait for an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
