Listen to a few performance experts, and it’s easy to think that a nap is a superpower: rather than a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Premier League athletes are all at it – along with concert pianists, fighters & high-profile executives. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits frequent naps, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to justify the effort? Can you find a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Exploring The Drive to Snooze
“There are three primary motivations for daytime sleep for many people,” says a leading sleep science researcher. “One is what we call make-up sleep, which is what you do after experiencing a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, which involves pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for example if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about desire: you have a moment to nap in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes beyond your control – such as, when you are caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap because your nighttime sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus should still be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
This means that naps shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your overnight rest, and preferably shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on what time you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, experts found that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority fall asleep quickly,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there concerning the optimal amount of time, yet that often make people feel more stressed than anything – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “Studies indicates it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – however, if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Finding the Right Sleep Space
When it comes to precise methods, recommendations vary. Some experts propose employing similar routines one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as possible. Others suggest that you should merely snooze on the sofa in the existing light happens to be around – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bed as the environment you associate with proper sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” explains a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure available to start the process initially. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally alarm-free, but what helps many individuals is to look for a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – for example, if attempting to fit in a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
