Listen to plenty of self-improvement experts, and you'll be tempting to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid following poor sleep, but a route to enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – and so are musicians, UFC champions and media moguls. However, if you don't have a room for napping or a career that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* enough benefits to a short sleep for it to be worth the effort? Can you find a reliable way to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes a leading sleep science researcher. “The first is known as make-up sleep, which is the action you take when you’ve had insufficient sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically boils down to the wish: there is a moment to sleep in the daytime, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes beyond your control – such as, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “Yet when you nap since your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that is frequently a signal your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that daytime sleep must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your sleep at night, and ideally should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on the time you go to bed overnight). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists found that crew members showed up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this included a six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep expert. “There is plenty of advice around concerning the ideal number for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more worried above all – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do when trying to get to sleep is worry about it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “Studies indicates it’s better to take an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to send you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for 90 minutes, it will affect how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. A few professionals recommend using comparable habits you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in the existing light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to force,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and essentially tell yourself to nod off. There must be some drive available to bring the sleep on in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to wait for a time when they are naturally slightly tired and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – such as, if attempting to squeeze in 40 winks during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
