Listen to enough performance gurus, and it’s tempting to convince yourself that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a band-aid following poor sleep, but a shortcut to improved recall, a brighter outlook and possibly a faster 5k run time. Professional athletes do it regularly – along with musicians, UFC champions and media moguls. But if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages daytime sleep, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep for many people,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, essentially what you do following a lack of sleep the night before. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, when you are pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for example when working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially comes down to the wish: you get a chance to sleep during the day, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping gets interrupted because of factors outside your control – for example, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep expert. “However, if you nap as your sleep at night seems unreliable or unreliable, that is frequently an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not where required. In those cases, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps for brief periods for short-term problems – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
Therefore that napping must not be too extended to disrupt your sleep at night, and preferably are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on the time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists found that space travelers had up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this involved a six-minute long sleep onset time). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there concerning the optimal amount of time, but that tends to cause people to feel more stressed than anything else – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you awaken. “Studies would say it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – whereas if you nap for slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a full cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you nap for a long period, it can influence how you sleep in the evening.”
Establishing an Ideal Snooze Setting
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. Some experts propose adopting the same protocol one would use to promote a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that one could merely snooze on a couch in whatever light is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to preserve your bed as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is quite challenging to will,” says a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it becomes harder to get comfortable and practically tell yourself to nod off. There must be some drive present to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze in full light and naturally wake up without an alarm, but what helps most folks is to wait for an instance where they feel naturally slightly tired and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if you have few options – for example, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap on a train or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong to use sleep aids. “When I’m working with footballers, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
