Hear a few productivity gurus, and it’s tempting to convince yourself that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut towards a better memory, better spirits and maybe a faster 5k run time. Elite athletes do it regularly – and so are concert pianists, mixed martial artists and media moguls. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that permits daytime sleep, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to justify the effort? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Identifying The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three primary motivations for napping for many people,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science researcher. “One is what we call compensatory napping, which is what you do following poor sleep the night before. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, which involves anticipating a sleep deficit ahead, for example during on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which basically is about the wish: you have an opportunity to nap in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to undertake, then, is consider your nap motivation. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – for instance, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “Yet when you take a nap since your night sleep feels fragile or poor, that can be a sign your sleep drive is not at the level required. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, not the solution. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your sleep at night, and preferably should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on what time you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists found that astronauts experienced improvements of over 50% in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep quickly,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of guidance out there about the perfect length for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action you can do when attempting to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it is preferable to have a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – however, if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep later that night.”
Creating the Perfect Snooze Setting
Regarding exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals propose adopting comparable habits you’d use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that you should just doze on a couch in the existing light is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the space you associate with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to force,” explains a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it becomes harder to get comfortable and practically command yourself to nod off. There must be a natural inclination present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, but what helps a lot of people is to look for a time that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in a quick nap on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
