Tune into plenty of self-improvement experts, and it’s simple to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: more than a sticking plaster after poor sleep, but a path towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe quicker running times. Premier League footballers do it regularly – as do musicians, fighters & media moguls. However, if you don't have a room for napping or employment that encourages daytime sleep, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three key drivers for taking a nap among most adults,” says a leading circadian rhythm professor. “Firstly, there's known as compensatory napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had poor sleep overnight. Another is pre-emptive sleep, where you are anticipating sleep loss coming up, such as if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to desire: you have a moment to doze in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to consider, then, is consider your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed because of factors outside your control – such as, if you’re a new parent, or recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you’re napping as your night sleep is unstable or broken, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not where it should be. In those cases, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
This means that napping must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your sleep at night, and preferably shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on the time you sleep overnight). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. In one of the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists found that astronauts showed a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting an alarm for half an hour or less – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” says a specialist. “There’s a lot of guidance out there concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can make people feel more stressed than anything else – and the least helpful action you can do when trying to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Research suggests it's more effective to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – however, if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be completing of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep later that night.”
Creating the Right Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose using comparable habits one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap on the sofa in the existing light is present – to prevent that groggy feeling and to preserve your bed as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is something really tricky to force,” notes a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it becomes harder to recline and practically command yourself to nod off. You need some drive present to start the process in the first place. I can usually take a nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, however, what assists a lot of people is to wait for an instance when they are naturally slightly tired and then simply relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
