Hear plenty of performance podcasters, making it simple to think that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to improved recall, improved mood and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Premier League footballers do it regularly – along with concert pianists, mixed martial artists and business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that allows frequent naps, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to justify the hassle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap among most adults,” says a leading sleep and circadian science specialist. “One is termed recovery napping, that is what happens after experiencing a lack of sleep overnight. Another is pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting insufficient sleep in the future, for example during on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which basically boils down to desire: you get an opportunity to doze in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to do, so, is to examine your reason for napping. “Napping can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you nap since your sleep at night is unstable or unreliable, that’s often an indicator your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that napping must not be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your overnight rest, and best should not occur after about 3pm (depending on the time you go to bed at night). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. In one of a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists discovered that space travelers had a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off quickly,” says a specialist. “There’s a lot of advice around regarding the optimal amount of time, however, that can lead individuals to become more worried than anything else – and the worst thing one can do when trying to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that foggy state when you wake. “Research would say it's more effective to take a longer nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” says the expert. “45 minutes is long enough to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you extend it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals propose employing the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that you should simply nap on the sofa in whatever light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to command,” says a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to lie down and practically instruct yourself to nod off. There must be a natural inclination present to initiate sleep initially. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without an alarm, however, what assists many individuals is to look for a moment that they’re naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and when you have few options – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing a few tools. “When I’m working with footballers, I recommend that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
