Listen to enough self-improvement experts, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: rather than a band-aid after restless night, but a route towards a better memory, better spirits and maybe quicker running times. Elite footballers are all at it – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions and business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a surefire technique to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three main reasons for taking a nap for many people,” explains an expert sleep science specialist. “The first is termed recovery napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had poor sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, when you are anticipating sleep loss ahead, for example during graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially is about the wish: there is an opportunity to sleep during the day, and it feels nice to do it.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons you cannot change – such as, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep physiologist. “However, if you take a nap because your sleep at night feels fragile or broken, that is frequently a sign your body's sleep pressure is not where it should be. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, not the solution. Use napping for brief periods for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that naps ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your sleep at night, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on what time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts noted that space travelers had improvements of over 50% in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – the majority fall asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of guidance out there concerning the perfect length of time, yet that often make people feel more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “The science would say it's more effective to take a longer nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – while if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish a full cycle and will probably wake up feeling more alert. However, if you nap for an hour and a half, it may impact the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Right Nap Environment
Regarding exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose adopting the same protocol one would use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that you should merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is available – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it becomes harder to recline and practically tell yourself to go to sleep. You need some drive there to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, however, what assists most folks is to anticipate a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and if options are scarce – for instance, if attempting to grab some shut-eye on a train or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong to use some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
