Tune into enough productivity experts, making it simple to believe that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a quick fix after poor sleep, but a path to improved recall, a brighter outlook and possibly quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – and so are concert pianists, fighters & media moguls. But if you don't have a special sleep space or a job that permits daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a surefire technique to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three primary motivations for napping for many people,” explains an expert sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's what we call recovery napping, which is what happens following insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep in the future, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to desire: there is a chance to nap in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to consider, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – for example, when you are a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing after being ill or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “But if you take a nap because your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be a sign your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. In those cases, naps can become part of the issue, not the solution. Employ naps as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that napping ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to affect your sleep at night, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on the time you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among a prominent study about napping, space agency scientists found that space travelers had improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people doze off in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of guidance out there about the perfect length for sleeping, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious than anything else – and the least helpful action one can do when trying to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Studies indicates it is preferable to have an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – while if you take it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you nap for a long period, it may impact your sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Sleep Space
When it comes to precise methods, recommendations vary. Certain specialists recommend employing comparable habits one would use to foster restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and minimal light as you can manage. Some advise that you should just doze on a couch with ambient lighting is available – to prevent sleep inertia and to preserve your bedroom as the space you associate with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” says an expert. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to lie down and basically instruct yourself to nod off. You need some sleep pressure available to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and wake up naturally alarm-free, though, what aids most folks is to look for an instance where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ a few tools. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
