Tune into enough performance gurus, making it simple to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a band-aid following a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and possibly quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – as do concert pianists, fighters and high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to justify the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for daytime sleep for many people,” notes a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is what we call recovery napping, which is what happens after experiencing poor sleep overnight. The second is preparatory napping, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, for instance during on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which simply comes down to desire: you get an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The first thing to consider, therefore, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted because of factors outside your control – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “Yet when you’re napping as your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or poor, that is frequently a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it needs to be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the priority must always be a solid and consistent sleep at night.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
This means that naps must not be too extended to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended in the late afternoon (based on what time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From a prominent study on the subject, experts noted that space travelers showed up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this included a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for half an hour or less – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the perfect length of minutes, yet that often cause people to feel more anxious than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, avoid the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “The science would say it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – however, if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for an hour and a half, it will affect how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Nap Environment
As for precise methods, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend using similar routines one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that one could just doze in a chair with ambient lighting happens to be around – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to maintain your bed as the place your brain links with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to will,” notes an expert. “Without any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need some sleep pressure there to initiate sleep initially. I can usually snooze during the day and awaken on my own without a timer, however, what assists most folks is to wait for a moment that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when options are scarce – for example, if attempting to fit in some shut-eye during a commute or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong to employ some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they don’t get used to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
