Tune into a few performance podcasters, and it’s easy to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a quick fix following restless night, but a shortcut to improved recall, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League soccer players do it regularly – along with professional piano players, UFC champions and business leaders. Yet, when you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a job that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a short sleep for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes a professor of circadian rhythm professor. “The first is termed make-up sleep, that is what happens when you’ve had insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, for instance during overnight shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to wanting: there is a chance to nap in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to consider, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors beyond your control – such as, if you’re a new parent, or if you are healing from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “However, if you’re napping since your nighttime sleep is unstable or broken, that can be a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as it needs to be. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the priority should still be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be long enough to affect your overnight rest, and preferably shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (contingent on when you retire at night). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists discovered that astronauts had up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% boost in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this involved an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off quickly,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there concerning the ideal number for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies would say it’s better to opt for a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the professor. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – however, if you extend it slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more rejuvenated. But if you nap for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep that night.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Some experts recommend using the same protocol you’d use to encourage restful sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that you should simply nap on a couch in whatever light is present – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bed as the place your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to command,” notes a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination available to start the process to begin with. I can usually take a nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to look for a moment that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and should your choices are limited – for example, if you’re trying to grab a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
