Tune into plenty of self-improvement experts, making it simple to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster following poor sleep, but a shortcut towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Elite footballers do it regularly – along with musicians, fighters & media moguls. Yet, when you don't have a special sleep space or employment that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a quick nap for it to be worth the hassle? Does there exist a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three primary motivations for napping among most adults,” explains an expert sleep science specialist. “One is termed compensatory napping, that is the action you take after experiencing poor sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, which involves anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, such as when working on night shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which simply comes down to wanting: there is a chance to sleep during the day, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to undertake, therefore, is to think about your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when overnight rest gets interrupted due to causes you cannot change – for instance, when you are caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap since your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that can be a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Use napping for brief periods for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This implies that napping must not be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your sleep at night, and preferably should not occur after about 3pm (contingent on when you go to bed in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists discovered that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the optimal amount of time, however, that can make people feel more stressed than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to fall asleep is worry about it.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, bypass the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Research suggests it's more effective to take a longer nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – however, if you extend it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing a natural sleep cycle and should get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Establishing the Right Nap Environment
As for exact methodologies, advice differs. A few professionals recommend employing comparable habits one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that one could simply nap on the sofa in the existing light happens to be around – to prevent that groggy feeling and to preserve your bedroom as the environment you associate with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and basically instruct yourself to nod off. There must be some sleep pressure available to start the process initially. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids most folks is to wait for an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
