Listen to enough self-improvement podcasters, and it’s tempting to believe that napping is a powerful tool: rather than a band-aid following poor sleep, but a shortcut towards a better memory, a brighter outlook and maybe quicker running times. Professional footballers swear by it – as do musicians, fighters and media moguls. But if you don't have a room for napping or employment that permits daytime sleep, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the effort? Does there exist a reliable way to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring The Nap Motivation
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep among most adults,” notes an expert sleep and circadian science specialist. “Firstly, there's termed compensatory napping, which is what you do when you’ve had poor sleep the night before. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit ahead, for instance if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to wanting: you have a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, for a parent of a newborn, or recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep is unstable or broken, that can be an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it needs to be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus must always be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that daytime sleep ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and preferably should not occur post-3 p.m. (depending on when you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa discovered that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this counted an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there about the perfect length of minutes, yet that often lead individuals to become more worried than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing you can do while aiming to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research would say it’s better to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for 90 minutes, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Creating an Ideal Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Certain specialists propose employing the same protocol you’d use to foster restful sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap on the sofa in whatever light is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the place your brain links with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to force,” says a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to get comfortable and practically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need a natural inclination present to initiate sleep initially. For me, it's possible to nap in full light and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – such as, if you’re trying to fit in a quick nap while traveling or at the office – it is perfectly fine to employ a few tools. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
