Listen to enough performance experts, and you'll be easy to think that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a sticking plaster after restless night, but a route to enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and maybe a faster 5k run time. Elite soccer players are all at it – and so are concert pianists, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a special sleep space or employment that permits frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep for it to be worth the hassle? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling better, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “Firstly, there's termed compensatory napping, that is the action you take after experiencing a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is preparatory napping, when you are preparing for sleep loss ahead, for instance when working on night shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which simply is about the wish: you have an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The initial step to do, so, is to think about why you want to nap. “Napping can be really helpful when night sleeping is being disrupted due to causes you cannot change – such as, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your nighttime sleep feels fragile or poor, that can be a sign your sleep drive is not where required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be long enough to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and preferably shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (contingent on what time you go to bed at night). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa noted that astronauts had a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% boost in performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute nodding-off period). “My advice is using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep within 10 minutes,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations regarding the perfect length of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more worried above all – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that induces that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies would say it is preferable to take a longer nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you extend it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it will affect your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend adopting similar routines you use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Some advise that you should merely snooze in a chair with ambient lighting is present – to avoid that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the space your brain links with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” explains an expert. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and essentially command yourself to nod off. You need some drive present to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, however, what assists a lot of people is to anticipate a time that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to squeeze in 40 winks during a commute or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
