Hear plenty of performance experts, making it easy to believe that dozing is a superpower: more than a quick fix following restless night, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – along with professional piano players, fighters and media moguls. But if you lack a special sleep space or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three primary motivations for taking a nap among most adults,” says a leading sleep science professor. “One is what we call recovery napping, which is what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are anticipating insufficient sleep coming up, such as when working graveyard shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially boils down to the wish: there is an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The initial step to consider, then, is to think about your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – for example, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep physiologist. “However, if you take a nap as your night sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that is frequently an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it should be. In those cases, naps can become a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods to address immediate needs – the priority should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
Therefore that napping shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your sleep at night, and best shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you sleep at night). What duration is wise? Advice differs. In one of a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists noted that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this included a six-minute nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around about the perfect length of minutes, yet that often lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, avoid the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Research would say it's more effective to opt for a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – however, if you take it slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to finish a full cycle and will probably get up feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it will affect your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Sleep Space
Regarding exact methodologies, advice differs. Certain specialists propose adopting the same protocol you use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to just doze on a couch in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bed as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says an expert. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and essentially instruct yourself to fall asleep. You need some sleep pressure present to initiate sleep in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to look for an instance that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and when you have few options – for example, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I advise that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
