Listen to a few productivity gurus, and you'll be simple to think that napping is a powerful tool: not just a quick fix following a bad night’s sleep, but a path to a better memory, a brighter outlook and maybe a faster 5k run time. Elite footballers do it regularly – as do concert pianists, mixed martial artists and business leaders. But if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows frequent naps, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the effort? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep for many people,” explains a professor of sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's known as make-up sleep, which is the action you take following insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, which involves anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, for instance during graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which simply is about desire: there is an opportunity to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is being disrupted for reasons you cannot change – such as, when you are caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you nap because your sleep at night seems unreliable or broken, that can be a signal your need for sleep is not where required. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority ought to remain a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Length
This means that daytime sleep must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and preferably should not occur after about 3pm (depending on what time you retire at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in vigilance plus a 34% rise in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the optimal amount of minutes, however, that can make people feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing one can do when trying to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “Research would say it's more effective to opt for a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is long enough to send you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy when you wake up – however, if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be completing of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more alert. But if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Creating the Perfect Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest adopting the same protocol one would use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as possible. Some advise that you should merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” says a specialist. “Without any drowsiness, it becomes harder to lie down and essentially instruct yourself to fall asleep. There must be a natural inclination present to initiate sleep initially. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to wait for a time that they’re naturally slightly tired and calmly ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to grab a quick nap during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “Coaching elite athletes, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
