Hear a few self-improvement gurus, making it simple to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a sticking plaster following poor sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players are all at it – along with musicians, mixed martial artists & high-profile executives. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that encourages regular snoozing, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling better, not worse?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“There are three key drivers for napping for many people,” explains a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, which is the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, which involves preparing for insufficient sleep in the future, for instance during on night shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially comes down to desire: you have a chance to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The first thing to undertake, so, is to think about your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted for reasons you cannot change – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your sleep at night seems unreliable or poor, that is frequently an indicator your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In such situations, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus must always be a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This means that daytime sleep must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (depending on the time you retire at night). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts discovered that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a specialist. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the ideal number of minutes, yet that often cause people to feel more anxious than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “The science would say it's more effective to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is sufficient to put you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish of a sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
As for specific techniques, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest employing the same protocol you’d use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that you should merely snooze on a couch in whatever light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to will,” notes a sleep coach. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be some sleep pressure there to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists many individuals is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and when options are scarce – for example, if attempting to fit in some shut-eye while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable with bringing a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
