Listen to plenty of self-improvement gurus, making it easy to think that dozing is a superpower: not just a band-aid following a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards a better memory, better spirits and maybe quicker running times. Premier League footballers swear by it – along with professional piano players, fighters & media moguls. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a quick nap to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for napping among most adults,” says a leading sleep and circadian science researcher. “One is known as compensatory napping, that is what you do following a lack of sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting sleep loss ahead, such as during graveyard shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply is about desire: you get a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The first thing to consider, so, is consider your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons you cannot change – for instance, when you are caring for an infant, or recovering after being ill or intense exercise,” explains a sleep physiologist. “However, if you take a nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that is frequently a sign your sleep drive is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Use napping for brief periods for temporary issues – the priority must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that napping shouldn’t be long enough to interfere with your overnight rest, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you go to bed in the evening). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa discovered that astronauts experienced improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this involved a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the ideal number for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “The science would say it's more effective to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you nap for slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. But if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect how you sleep later that night.”
Finding the Right Sleep Space
Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. Some experts suggest using the same protocol you’d use to encourage restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that you should simply nap on the sofa in the existing light happens to be around – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment you associate with proper sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to force,” explains a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to get comfortable and practically instruct yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive available to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually nap in full light and naturally wake up without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for example, when aiming to fit in a quick nap during a commute or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
