Tune into a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s simple to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following restless night, but a path towards improved recall, improved mood and maybe improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players do it regularly – as do musicians, mixed martial artists and media moguls. But if you don't have a special sleep space or a career that encourages frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to merit the effort? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will get up feeling better, not worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three primary motivations for taking a nap for many people,” explains a leading circadian rhythm researcher. “The first is termed recovery napping, which is what you do when you’ve had a lack of sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, when you are preparing for sleep loss coming up, for example when working overnight shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically boils down to the wish: there is a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to consider, so, is consider your nap motivation. “Naps can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is disturbed for reasons outside your control – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap as your night sleep is unstable or broken, that’s often a signal your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Perfect Nap Length
Therefore that napping ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and best should not occur in the late afternoon (based on the time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. From a prominent study about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority doze off in under ten minutes,” says a sleep expert. “You'll find much guidance out there about the perfect length of time, however, that can make people feel more worried above all – and the most counterproductive thing one can do when attempting to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that induces that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “Research indicates it is preferable to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you get up – while if you nap for a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a natural sleep cycle and will probably get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it can influence your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to precise methods, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals recommend using comparable habits you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap on the sofa with ambient lighting happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bed as the space you associate with nighttime rest. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” says an expert. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and practically instruct yourself to nod off. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and awaken on my own alarm-free, however, what assists a lot of people is to wait for an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – such as, when aiming to fit in some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing sleep aids. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
