Hear enough self-improvement experts, and you'll be tempting to believe that a nap is a powerful tool: more than a quick fix after a bad night’s sleep, but a path to a better memory, improved mood and maybe improved athletic performance. Elite athletes are all at it – and so are musicians, fighters and high-profile executives. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep to justify the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you’ll wake up feeling improved, not worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“There are three key drivers for napping for many people,” notes a leading sleep and circadian science professor. “Firstly, there's known as recovery napping, that is what happens when you’ve had poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit coming up, such as when working on night shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which basically is about the wish: there is a chance to nap in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The initial step to do, so, is consider your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors beyond your control – for example, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep expert. “Yet when you nap as your nighttime sleep feels fragile or broken, that’s often a sign your sleep drive is not at the level required. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the priority must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
This means that naps shouldn’t be too extended to affect your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (based on when you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists noted that space travelers experienced improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this involved a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for half an hour or less – most people are asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep expert. “You'll find much advice around regarding the perfect length of minutes, however, that can make people feel more worried above all – and the most counterproductive thing one can do while aiming to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Studies indicates it is preferable to have a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish a full cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Snooze Setting
As for specific techniques, recommendations vary. Some experts suggest using the same protocol you use to encourage restful sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in whatever light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to maintain your bed as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to will,” says a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it becomes harder to recline and essentially instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be some sleep pressure available to bring the sleep on in the first place. I can usually nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and then simply ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to grab some shut-eye while traveling or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
