Listen to a few productivity podcasters, making it easy to convince yourself that dozing is a superpower: rather than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a route towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Professional soccer players swear by it – and so are concert pianists, mixed martial artists and business leaders. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to merit the hassle? Is there a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Identifying The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three key drivers for napping in the adult population,” notes a leading sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's known as make-up sleep, essentially what you do following insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting a sleep deficit ahead, such as when working overnight shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially boils down to wanting: there is a chance to nap during the day, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The first thing to consider, then, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted because of factors outside your control – for instance, for caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep expert. “But if you nap because your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not where it needs to be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the main goal ought to remain a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that naps must not be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and ideally should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on what time you go to bed in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. Among the most referenced research about napping, experts found that crew members experienced up to a 54% increase in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this included an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority fall asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of guidance out there regarding the ideal number of time, however, that can cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action you can possibly do while aiming to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, bypass the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that foggy state upon waking. “The science suggests it's more effective to take a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” says the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy when you get up – while if you nap for a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and should awaken feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Creating the Right Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Some experts suggest adopting the same protocol you’d use to promote restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze on a couch in whatever light is available – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the place you associate with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to force,” notes a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There must be some drive there to start the process initially. Personally, I can often nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate an instance where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and when your choices are limited – such as, if attempting to grab a quick nap while traveling or in a work pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “Coaching footballers, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
