Hear plenty of productivity podcasters, making it simple to believe that napping is a secret weapon: rather than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a path to improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe improved athletic performance. Professional footballers are all at it – and so are professional piano players, fighters and high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that permits frequent naps, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the hassle? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Drive to Snooze
“There are three primary motivations for napping among most adults,” notes an expert sleep science professor. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, essentially what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep overnight. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, such as during graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about desire: you have an opportunity to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The first thing to undertake, so, is to examine your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed due to causes outside your control – for example, when you are a new parent, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you’re napping as your night sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, naps can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for temporary issues – the focus must always be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
Therefore that napping must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your overnight rest, and ideally are not recommended after about 3pm (depending on when you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists discovered that astronauts showed improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “I recommend setting an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority fall asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around about the optimal amount of time, yet that often make people feel more worried above all – and the worst thing one can do when trying to get to sleep is worry about it.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “The science suggests it’s better to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – while if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be completing a full cycle and should awaken feeling more refreshed. However, if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Right Nap Environment
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest using similar routines you’d use to promote a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that it's fine to just doze in a chair in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent sleep inertia and to maintain your bed as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is something really tricky to command,” says a sleep coach. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and practically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need a natural inclination present to bring the sleep on in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to look for a time that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – it's acceptable with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I suggest that they don’t get used to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
