Tune into a few productivity experts, and you'll be simple to think that dozing is a superpower: not just a quick fix following restless night, but a path towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – along with musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you lack a special sleep space or a job that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“There are three primary motivations for napping among most adults,” says an expert circadian rhythm specialist. “The first is known as compensatory napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had poor sleep the night before. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep coming up, for example if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially comes down to the wish: there is a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The first thing to do, then, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – for example, for caring for an infant, or you’re recovering from illness or intense exercise,” says a sleep physiologist. “But if you take a nap as your sleep at night feels fragile or broken, that’s often a sign your body's sleep pressure is not where it needs to be. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a robust and regular sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Length
This implies that napping shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your overnight rest, and best are not recommended in the late afternoon (based on when you sleep overnight). What duration is wise? Guidelines are mixed. From a prominent study on the subject, experts found that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this included an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority fall asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a specialist. “There’s a lot of guidance out there regarding the ideal number of time, yet that often make people feel more stressed than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when attempting to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “Studies would say it's more effective to take a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the professor. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to send you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – whereas if you extend it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and should awaken feeling more rejuvenated. But if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Finding an Ideal Sleep Space
As for precise methods, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose employing similar routines one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and as much darkness as possible. Others suggest that you should simply nap on a couch in the existing light is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to will,” says a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and practically command yourself to nod off. There’s got to be a natural inclination available to start the process in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, however, what assists most folks is to wait for an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and should your choices are limited – such as, if you’re trying to grab 40 winks on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “Coaching footballers, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
