Hear a few self-improvement gurus, making it easy to convince yourself that dozing is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster after poor sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League athletes are all at it – along with professional piano players, UFC champions and business leaders. Yet, when you don't have a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the effort? Can you find a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling better, rather than worse?
Identifying Your Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for taking a nap for many people,” notes an expert sleep science specialist. “One is what we call make-up sleep, that is what happens following poor sleep the previous night. The second is pre-emptive sleep, which involves anticipating sleep loss in the future, for example if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which basically is about desire: you get a chance to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, so, is to examine your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is disturbed due to causes beyond your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “Yet when you’re napping as your night sleep is unstable or broken, that’s often a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the problem, not the solution. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
Therefore that naps shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on when you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most referenced research on the subject, space agency scientists noted that astronauts had up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% increase in task performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved a six-minute nodding-off period). “My advice is setting a timer for half an hour or less – the majority fall asleep in under ten minutes,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of advice around concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more anxious than anything else – and the worst thing you can do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that induces that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies suggests it's more effective to opt for a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy when you get up – while if you nap for slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating an Ideal Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals recommend adopting the same protocol you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to simply nap on the sofa in whatever light is present – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to “protect” your bed as the space your brain links with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and essentially instruct yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some drive present to bring the sleep on initially. For me, it's possible to take a nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up without an alarm, but what helps many individuals is to wait for a moment that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when your choices are limited – for example, when aiming to fit in a quick nap on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
