Hear enough self-improvement podcasters, and you'll be easy to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: rather than a quick fix after restless night, but a path to improved recall, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League soccer players are all at it – as do concert pianists, mixed martial artists & high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits frequent naps, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“There are three primary motivations for taking a nap for many people,” notes an expert sleep science professor. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, which is what happens following insufficient sleep the previous night. The second is preparatory napping, where you are pre-empting sleep loss ahead, such as during graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to wanting: you get a moment to sleep in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to do, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed for reasons you cannot change – for example, for caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap since your sleep at night feels fragile or unreliable, that can be a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as required. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the focus should still be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and ideally shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (depending on when you retire at night). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. In one of the most referenced research regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this involved a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” notes a specialist. “You'll find much advice around regarding the ideal number for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more stressed than anything – and the least helpful action you can possibly do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research would say it is preferable to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the professor. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for a long period, it may impact how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
Regarding exact methodologies, advice differs. Certain specialists propose employing similar routines one would use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as possible. Others suggest that one could merely snooze on a couch in the existing light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the place you associate with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a specialist. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive available to initiate sleep initially. Personally, I can often take a nap in full light and naturally wake up without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to look for an instance where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when options are scarce – such as, if attempting to fit in some shut-eye while traveling or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to use some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
