Listen to enough performance gurus, and you'll be simple to think that napping is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following restless night, but a shortcut towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and perhaps improved athletic performance. Professional athletes do it regularly – along with concert pianists, fighters and high-profile executives. Yet, when you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that allows regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“There are three primary motivations for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes a leading sleep science professor. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, that is what you do after experiencing poor sleep the previous night. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for example when working overnight shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to wanting: there is an opportunity to doze in the daytime, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to do, so, is to examine your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is being disrupted due to causes beyond your control – for example, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you take a nap because your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that is frequently a sign your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In those cases, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
This implies that daytime sleep must not be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur in the late afternoon (based on when you retire at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From a prominent study about napping, experts found that crew members experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority doze off quickly,” notes a specialist. “You'll find much guidance out there about the optimal amount of time, but that tends to make people feel more anxious above all – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “The science indicates it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you get up – however, if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. But if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists propose adopting the same protocol you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that one could merely snooze on the sofa with ambient lighting is available – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes an expert. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and practically command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination there to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and should your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to fit in some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to use a few tools. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
