Listen to a few performance experts, and it’s tempting to believe that a nap is a superpower: rather than a sticking plaster following a bad night’s sleep, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Elite soccer players do it regularly – as do concert pianists, mixed martial artists & high-profile executives. But if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows frequent naps, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a surefire technique to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling better, rather than worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for napping in the adult population,” notes a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “Firstly, there's what we call recovery napping, that is what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, such as if you’re working on night shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to desire: you get a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is to think about your reason for napping. “Napping can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is being disrupted due to causes you cannot change – for example, for caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or intense exercise,” states a sleep expert. “However, if you’re napping since your night sleep is unstable or broken, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level required. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This implies that naps must not be too extended to affect your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended after about 3pm (contingent on the time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies about napping, researchers at Nasa discovered that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% boost in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority doze off in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much guidance out there about the optimal amount of time, but that tends to cause people to feel more worried than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “Research indicates it's more effective to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to put you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you take it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing of a sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for an hour and a half, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating the Right Sleep Space
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Certain specialists recommend using similar routines you use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that one could merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to preserve your bed as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and basically tell yourself to nod off. There’s got to be some sleep pressure available to bring the sleep on initially. I can usually snooze in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, but what helps most folks is to look for a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – such as, if attempting to squeeze in 40 winks while traveling or at the office – it is perfectly fine with bringing sleep aids. “Coaching footballers, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
