Listen to enough performance podcasters, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that napping is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid following a bad night’s sleep, but a path to improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe a faster 5k run time. Premier League footballers are all at it – and so are professional piano players, fighters & media moguls. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that encourages daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to justify the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three main reasons for taking a nap for many people,” says a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “The first is termed compensatory napping, that is what happens after experiencing insufficient sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating insufficient sleep in the future, for instance if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which simply is about the wish: you have an opportunity to doze in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The first thing to consider, so, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be genuinely useful when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons you cannot change – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or if you are healing from sickness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep physiologist. “However, if you’re napping since your night sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not where required. Under those circumstances, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the focus should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This means that naps shouldn’t be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and ideally should not occur after about 3pm (contingent on the time you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists found that crew members showed improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority doze off in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “You'll find much guidance out there regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more stressed above all – and the least helpful action you can do when attempting to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep inertia, that foggy state when you wake. “Research indicates it's more effective to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – whereas if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to finish a full cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more alert. But if you’re sleeping for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
Regarding exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend adopting comparable habits one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that you should merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is present – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the place your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to will,” notes a sleep coach. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and practically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure present to bring the sleep on in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, however, what assists most folks is to look for an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and should options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to fit in a quick nap while traveling or at the office – it's acceptable to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
