Hear enough self-improvement experts, and you'll be simple to believe that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following restless night, but a path towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Elite athletes swear by it – as do concert pianists, fighters and high-profile executives. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep for many people,” says a leading circadian rhythm professor. “The first is termed recovery napping, essentially what happens when you’ve had poor sleep the previous night. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep ahead, for instance during graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which simply boils down to desire: you have a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to indulge.”
The initial step to undertake, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – such as, for a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing after being ill or strenuous activity,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you nap because your night sleep is unstable or broken, that is frequently a signal your need for sleep is not where it should be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
Therefore that daytime sleep ought not to be long enough to affect your sleep at night, and preferably should not occur after about 3pm (depending on what time you sleep overnight). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that crew members had up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted a six-minute nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people doze off within 10 minutes,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there about the ideal number of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more anxious than anything else – and the worst thing one can do when trying to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that induces that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Research indicates it’s better to opt for a longer nap of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” says the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented upon awakening – however, if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be on the end of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you’re sleeping for a long period, it will affect the quality of your sleep that night.”
Finding the Right Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. A few professionals propose using comparable habits one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that it's fine to simply nap on the sofa in whatever light happens to be around – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is more challenging to recline and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some drive available to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually snooze in full light and awaken on my own alarm-free, however, what assists most folks is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and just gently allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should options are scarce – such as, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to employ a few tools. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
