Listen to plenty of performance gurus, making it tempting to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following restless night, but a shortcut towards enhanced cognition, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League footballers do it regularly – as do concert pianists, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you haven’t got a special sleep space or a job that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to merit the effort? Does there exist a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for daytime sleep for many people,” explains an expert circadian rhythm specialist. “Firstly, there's known as compensatory napping, essentially what happens after experiencing a lack of sleep the previous night. Another is prophylactic napping, when you are pre-empting sleep loss coming up, for example if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to wanting: you have an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing from illness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “But if you nap since your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or broken, that’s often a signal your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your overnight rest, and preferably are not recommended in the late afternoon (based on what time you sleep overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. Among a prominent study about napping, researchers at Nasa found that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% increase in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” notes a specialist. “You'll find much guidance out there concerning the ideal number of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more stressed than anything else – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies suggests it's more effective to opt for a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is sufficient to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you get up – whereas if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and are likely to get up feeling more alert. But if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose adopting the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is present – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the place your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to will,” says an expert. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and basically command yourself to nod off. You need some sleep pressure available to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, however, what assists a lot of people is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and calmly allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should your choices are limited – for instance, when aiming to fit in 40 winks on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ a few tools. “In my work with footballers, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
