Tune into plenty of performance experts, and it’s easy to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: rather than a sticking plaster after restless night, but a shortcut towards a better memory, better spirits and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Elite footballers swear by it – as do concert pianists, fighters and media moguls. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that allows regular snoozing, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to merit the hassle? Does there exist a surefire technique to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Understanding Your Drive to Snooze
“There are three key drivers for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, that is what happens after experiencing poor sleep overnight. The second is prophylactic napping, where you are anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, such as during graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically comes down to the wish: you have a moment to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The first thing to do, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – such as, for caring for an infant, or recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” says a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
This means that naps shouldn’t be long enough to affect your sleep at night, and ideally shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (based on what time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists noted that crew members had up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this involved an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a sleep coach. “There is plenty of advice around regarding the ideal number of minutes, yet that often cause people to feel more stressed than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when trying to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies would say it’s better to have a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you’re sleeping for a long period, it can influence how you sleep in the evening.”
Creating an Ideal Nap Environment
As for precise methods, advice differs. Some experts suggest adopting the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could simply nap on a couch in the existing light is present – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with nighttime rest. “Sleep is quite challenging to will,” says an expert. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to lie down and practically command yourself to nod off. There must be some drive available to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to nap during the day and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids a lot of people is to wait for an instance when they are naturally slightly tired and then simply ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to grab 40 winks while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
