Listen to a few productivity gurus, and it’s tempting to convince yourself that dozing is a secret weapon: rather than a sticking plaster following poor sleep, but a route to a better memory, a brighter outlook and possibly improved athletic performance. Professional footballers swear by it – as do professional piano players, fighters and high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that allows regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the hassle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will get up feeling improved, not worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three main reasons for daytime sleep in the adult population,” notes a professor of sleep science professor. “The first is termed make-up sleep, which is what you do after experiencing a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting a sleep deficit ahead, such as if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically is about desire: there is a chance to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The first thing to consider, so, is consider why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep is being disrupted for reasons beyond your control – for instance, for a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep physiologist. “However, if you’re napping as your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not where it should be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the priority must always be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that naps must not be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and preferably shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (based on what time you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, experts found that crew members showed improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting a timer for half an hour or less – the majority are asleep quickly,” says a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of guidance out there about the ideal number of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when trying to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep inertia, that foggy state upon waking. “Studies suggests it's more effective to take an extended nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you nap for a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more alert. But if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to precise methods, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists propose using similar routines one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as is feasible. Some advise that you should simply nap in a chair with ambient lighting happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is quite challenging to will,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and essentially instruct yourself to fall asleep. There must be some drive there to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and naturally wake up alarm-free, however, what assists many individuals is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if you have few options – such as, when aiming to fit in a quick nap on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to use sleep aids. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
