Hear a few self-improvement experts, and it’s tempting to think that a nap is a superpower: not just a quick fix after poor sleep, but a path towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and possibly a faster 5k run time. Elite athletes are all at it – along with musicians, mixed martial artists and business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Can you find a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Exploring The Drive to Snooze
“There are three main reasons for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a leading sleep and circadian science researcher. “The first is what we call recovery napping, which is what you do when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. Another is pre-emptive sleep, when you are anticipating sleep loss ahead, for example when working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically comes down to desire: there is an opportunity to nap in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to consider, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you nap as your night sleep feels fragile or broken, that is frequently a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it should be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, not the solution. Employ naps as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that naps ought not to be long enough to affect your sleep at night, and preferably are not recommended after about 3pm (depending on when you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most-cited studies about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that crew members experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% boost in performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “My advice is setting an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” notes a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there about the perfect length of minutes, however, that can lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the least helpful action you can possibly do when attempting to nod off is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, bypass the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “The science indicates it's more effective to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you get up – while if you nap for slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. But if you nap for a long period, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest using comparable habits you use to encourage restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically instruct yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination there to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often nap during the day and awaken on my own alarm-free, however, what assists many individuals is to look for a moment when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if you have few options – for example, if attempting to squeeze in 40 winks during a commute or in a work pod – it's acceptable to employ a few tools. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
