Tune into a few self-improvement podcasters, making it easy to think that a nap is a superpower: rather than a quick fix after poor sleep, but a shortcut to improved recall, better spirits and maybe a faster 5k run time. Premier League soccer players are all at it – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions and high-profile executives. But if you lack a special sleep space or a career that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep in the adult population,” notes a professor of sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's what we call make-up sleep, which is what happens after experiencing poor sleep the night before. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, such as when working on night shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically is about desire: you have a moment to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to do, then, is to think about your nap motivation. “Naps can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – such as, for a new parent, or if you are healing from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you’re napping since your night sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that can be a signal your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. In those cases, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This means that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you retire overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. In one of a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, experts found that crew members experienced improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much guidance out there about the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to lead individuals to become more stressed than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when trying to nod off is worry about it.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Research would say it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Snooze Setting
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. Certain specialists propose adopting similar routines one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that you should just doze in a chair with ambient lighting is present – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your bed as the place your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is quite challenging to will,” says a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to recline and practically tell yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure available to initiate sleep to begin with. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and naturally wake up without an alarm, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for instance, if you’re trying to fit in 40 winks on a train or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a few tools. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
