Tune into enough performance experts, and it’s easy to believe that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a quick fix after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League athletes swear by it – along with concert pianists, fighters and media moguls. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?
Understanding Your Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three main reasons for taking a nap for many people,” says a leading circadian rhythm researcher. “One is what we call make-up sleep, essentially what happens following poor sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for instance if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially is about the wish: there is a moment to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The first thing to do, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – such as, when you are caring for an infant, or recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often an indicator your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the focus must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to affect your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (based on the time you go to bed at night). What duration is wise? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa discovered that crew members experienced a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute sleep onset time). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of recommendations concerning the perfect length of minutes, yet that often cause people to feel more anxious than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off 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 spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Research would say it's more effective to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you extend it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a full cycle and should get up feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
As for exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest adopting comparable habits you’d use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Some advise that you should just doze on a couch in whatever light is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the environment your brain links with proper sleep. “Napping is something really tricky to command,” notes a specialist. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and practically tell yourself to nod off. You need a natural inclination present to bring the sleep on to begin with. Personally, I can often nap during the day and wake up naturally without an alarm, though, what aids many individuals is to wait for an instance where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – for example, if you’re trying to fit in a quick nap during a commute or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong to use sleep aids. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, since they’re going to have|they will
