Hear enough performance podcasters, and you'll be tempting to think that napping is a superpower: more than a quick fix following a bad night’s sleep, but a path to a better memory, a brighter outlook and perhaps quicker running times. Elite soccer players are all at it – as do concert pianists, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you don't have a special sleep space or a career that permits daytime sleep, can there *honestly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to merit the effort? Does there exist a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will get up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Exploring Your Drive to Snooze
“There are three main reasons for daytime sleep for many people,” notes a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “Firstly, there's known as compensatory napping, which is what you do following a lack of sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply comes down to desire: you have a chance to sleep in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to do, so, is consider your nap motivation. “Naps can be really helpful when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or if you are healing from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your night sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the priority must always be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
This means that naps shouldn’t be long enough to interfere with your overnight rest, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (based on when you go to bed overnight). What duration is wise? Advice differs. Among a prominent study on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that astronauts showed a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% boost in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this included an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for half an hour or less – the majority doze off within 10 minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There is plenty of guidance out there regarding the optimal amount of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more stressed above all – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to fall asleep is worry about it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies suggests it is preferable to opt for a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to send you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it can influence how you sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Sleep Space
As for precise methods, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals recommend using the same protocol one would use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could simply nap on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent that groggy feeling and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your brain links with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to command,” notes an expert. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and practically tell yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination there to initiate sleep to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own alarm-free, however, what assists many individuals is to anticipate an instance that they’re naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when you have few options – such as, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “Coaching elite athletes, I suggest that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
