Listen to a few self-improvement gurus, and you'll be easy to think that a nap is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix after restless night, but a route towards a better memory, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Professional footballers are all at it – along with professional piano players, fighters & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the hassle? Does there exist a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“Experts note three primary motivations for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “One is termed make-up sleep, which is what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit coming up, such as when working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about desire: there is a chance to nap in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to undertake, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be genuinely useful when overnight rest gets interrupted because of factors beyond your control – such as, if you’re a new parent, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your night sleep feels fragile or poor, that can be a signal your body's sleep pressure is not where required. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping for brief periods for temporary issues – the focus must always be a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
Therefore that naps must not be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on the time you go to bed overnight). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists noted that astronauts had improvements of over 50% in alertness plus a 34% rise in performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – most people are asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “There is plenty of guidance out there about the optimal amount of time, however, that can cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing one can do when trying to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “Research would say it's more effective to take a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” explains the professor. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – however, if you take it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a full cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Creating the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals propose using similar routines you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that one could simply nap on the sofa in whatever light is present – to avoid that groggy feeling and to preserve your bedroom as the environment you associate with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to force,” notes a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it is tougher to recline and essentially command yourself to go to sleep. There must be some sleep pressure available to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and naturally wake up without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to look for a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when options are scarce – for instance, if attempting to grab a quick nap while traveling or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will