Tune into enough productivity experts, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that dozing is a superpower: not just a band-aid following restless night, but a route to improved recall, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Professional soccer players are all at it – and so are professional piano players, fighters and media moguls. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or a job that allows regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to merit the effort? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three key drivers for napping in the adult population,” says a leading sleep and circadian science specialist. “The first is known as compensatory napping, that is the action you take after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, which involves anticipating insufficient sleep ahead, such as during overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which basically comes down to the wish: you have a chance to doze in the daytime, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is consider your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is being disrupted due to causes beyond your control – for example, when you are a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you’re napping because your night sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, instead of the fix. Employ naps for brief periods for temporary issues – the priority ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This implies that naps ought not to be too extended to disrupt your sleep at night, and preferably are not recommended after about 3pm (depending on when you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists found that crew members had improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this counted a six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the ideal number of minutes, but that tends to lead individuals to become more worried above all – and the least helpful action one can do when attempting to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “The science would say it's more effective to take a longer nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to send you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – whereas if you nap for a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be completing a full cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more refreshed. However, if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence how you sleep that night.”
Establishing the Right Sleep Space
As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals propose employing the same protocol you use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to maintain your bed as the space your brain links with proper sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to will,” notes an expert. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to get comfortable and essentially tell yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to start the process in the first place. I can usually take a nap in full light and awaken on my own without a timer, however, what assists a lot of people is to look for a time when they are naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and when options are scarce – such as, if you’re trying to fit in some shut-eye while traveling or at the office – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
