Hear enough productivity podcasters, making it simple to convince yourself that napping is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid after poor sleep, but a route towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Elite footballers swear by it – and so are concert pianists, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or a job that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three primary motivations for napping for many people,” notes an expert sleep and circadian science specialist. “Firstly, there's what we call recovery napping, that is what you do following insufficient sleep overnight. The second is preparatory napping, when you are preparing for sleep loss ahead, for instance if you’re working overnight shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which simply is about the wish: there is an opportunity to doze during the day, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The first thing to consider, therefore, is to examine your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is being disrupted because of factors beyond your control – such as, if you’re a new parent, or recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In those cases, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority must always be a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This means that naps must not be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and ideally shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on the time you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of a prominent study on the subject, experts noted that astronauts had improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% increase in performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for half an hour or less – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much recommendations about the perfect length of time, but that tends to make people feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing one can do when attempting to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research indicates it’s better to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to plunge you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – however, if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep that night.”
Creating an Ideal Nap Environment
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest employing similar routines you use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should just doze on a couch with ambient lighting happens to be around – to avoid that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the place you associate with *real* sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to will,” notes a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to recline and practically instruct yourself to nod off. There’s got to be some drive present to bring the sleep on initially. I can usually snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – for instance, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong to employ a few tools. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
