Tune into plenty of productivity podcasters, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that dozing is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a path towards a better memory, better spirits and maybe quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – along with musicians, UFC champions & media moguls. But if you don't have a room for napping or a career that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to merit the hassle? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“There are three primary motivations for taking a nap among most adults,” explains a leading sleep and circadian science researcher. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, which is what happens after experiencing poor sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for instance during overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about desire: you have a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to do, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – such as, for a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from illness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you nap since your night sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often a sign your sleep drive is not as strong as it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Use napping as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that naps ought not to be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and best should not occur after about 3pm (contingent on when you sleep overnight). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that astronauts showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for half an hour or less – many individuals doze off quickly,” explains a sleep expert. “You'll find much recommendations concerning the optimal amount of minutes, but that tends to make people feel more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “The science suggests it’s better to take a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “45 minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel disoriented upon awakening – while if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for a long period, it will affect the quality of your sleep that night.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
As for specific techniques, advice differs. Some experts recommend adopting comparable habits you use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and minimal light as you can manage. Some advise that one could merely snooze in a chair in the existing light happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space you associate with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to will,” notes a specialist. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and basically instruct yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination there to bring the sleep on in the first place. I can usually nap in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, but what helps many individuals is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when you have few options – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in 40 winks on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to employ some accessories. “When I’m working with footballers, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
