Tune into enough productivity gurus, and you'll be simple to think that a nap is a superpower: rather than a sticking plaster following a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, better spirits and maybe a faster 5k run time. Premier League soccer players do it regularly – and so are professional piano players, mixed martial artists & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or a job that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Can you find a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will arise feeling better, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science specialist. “The first is termed recovery napping, which is what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep the night before. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit coming up, for instance during graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply boils down to desire: there is a chance to nap in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The first thing to consider, so, is consider your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is being disrupted for reasons beyond your control – for example, for a new parent, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your night sleep feels fragile or poor, that is frequently a signal your need for sleep is not where required. In those cases, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the priority must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
Therefore that naps must not be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on when you go to bed in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most referenced research on the subject, space agency scientists found that astronauts experienced up to a 54% increase in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is using an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of guidance out there about the optimal amount of time, however, that can make people feel more stressed than anything – and the worst thing one can do when trying to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies suggests it is preferable to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish when you get up – however, if you nap for a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it will affect how you sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Perfect Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists recommend employing the same protocol one would use to promote restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that it's fine to just doze in a chair in whatever light is available – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to maintain your bed as the place your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to force,” explains an expert. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive there to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a time when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if you have few options – for example, if attempting to grab a quick nap on a train or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong to use a few tools. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
