Tune into enough productivity gurus, and you'll be tempting to convince yourself that dozing is a superpower: more than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a route to a better memory, better spirits and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Premier League soccer players do it regularly – along with concert pianists, mixed martial artists & media moguls. But if you don't have a room for napping or a career that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a quick nap for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“There are three main reasons for napping for many people,” says a leading sleep and circadian science professor. “One is termed make-up sleep, essentially what you do following insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which simply is about the wish: there is a chance to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to nap.”
The primary task to do, so, is consider why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – such as, if you’re caring for an infant, or if you are healing after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “However, if you take a nap because your night sleep is unstable or broken, that is frequently an indicator your sleep drive is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, naps can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This implies that naps shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (depending on the time you go to bed in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% increase in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this included a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals are asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around concerning the perfect length of minutes, however, that can make people feel more worried than anything – 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, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it’s better to take an extended nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented upon awakening – however, if you nap for slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing of a sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. But if you nap for a long period, it can influence how you sleep that night.”
Creating the Perfect Sleep Space
Regarding exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists propose adopting similar routines one would use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap on the sofa with ambient lighting is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the space you associate with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a specialist. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive there to initiate sleep initially. For me, it's possible to take a nap during the day and awaken on my own without an alarm, however, what assists many individuals is to look for an instance that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and then simply ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and should options are scarce – for example, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
