Hear plenty of self-improvement gurus, and you'll be easy to believe that napping is a powerful tool: rather than a quick fix after poor sleep, but a shortcut towards a better memory, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Premier League athletes swear by it – and so are musicians, fighters & high-profile executives. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling improved, not worse?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three main reasons for taking a nap among most adults,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “One is known as make-up sleep, which is what happens when you’ve had a lack of sleep the night before. Another is pre-emptive sleep, which involves anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, such as if you’re working on night shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically boils down to wanting: you have a moment to doze in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The primary task to consider, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted for reasons outside your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep expert. “But if you take a nap since your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that is frequently a sign your sleep drive is not where it needs to be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the focus must always be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This implies that napping ought not to be too extended to affect your sleep at night, and best shouldn’t take place post-3 p.m. (contingent on when you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. Among a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa found that astronauts experienced improvements of over 50% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is setting a timer for half an hour or less – many individuals doze off quickly,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there regarding the ideal number for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more anxious above all – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “The science indicates it's more effective to have a longer nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you get up – while if you nap for a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more refreshed. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it may impact the quality of your sleep that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Snooze Setting
Regarding exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Some experts suggest adopting comparable habits you use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to simply nap on the sofa in whatever light is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to preserve your bedroom as the place you associate with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to force,” says an expert. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be some sleep pressure there to bring the sleep on in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to wait for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and should you have few options – for example, if you’re trying to grab a quick nap while traveling or in a work pod – it's acceptable to use sleep aids. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
