Tune into plenty of self-improvement gurus, and you'll be simple to think that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following poor sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, better spirits and possibly quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – along with musicians, UFC champions & high-profile executives. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or a career that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you’ll wake up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for napping for many people,” explains a professor of sleep science professor. “The first is termed make-up sleep, essentially the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, which involves pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for instance during overnight shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to wanting: there is an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is being disrupted due to causes beyond your control – for example, if you’re a new parent, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep expert. “However, if you nap because your night sleep seems unreliable or broken, that’s often an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it should be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This means that naps must not be too extended to affect your nighttime sleep, and preferably shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you go to bed overnight). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists noted that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in vigilance plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there about the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often lead individuals to become more stressed than anything – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies indicates it is preferable to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the expert. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – while if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be completing of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it will affect your sleep that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
As for exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose adopting comparable habits one would use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and as much darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should just doze on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to will,” explains a specialist. “Without any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and essentially command yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination present to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to snooze during the day and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to look for a time when they are naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if you have few options – for example, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
