Tune into a few self-improvement gurus, and you'll be simple to believe that dozing is a powerful tool: more than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a route to a better memory, improved mood and perhaps improved athletic performance. Professional footballers are all at it – as do professional piano players, UFC champions & business leaders. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or employment that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Can you find a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three key drivers for napping among most adults,” says an expert circadian rhythm professor. “The first is what we call recovery napping, which is what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep overnight. Secondly, there's pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for sleep loss in the future, such as when working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially comes down to wanting: you have a chance to sleep during the day, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The primary task to consider, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed for reasons outside your control – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or strenuous activity,” states a sleep expert. “Yet when you’re napping as your nighttime sleep feels fragile or poor, that is frequently a signal your need for sleep is not at the level required. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the problem, not the solution. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
Therefore that napping ought not to be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on the time you sleep overnight). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research regarding daytime sleep, experts found that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in alertness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the ideal number of minutes, but that tends to make people feel more worried above all – and the least helpful action you can do when attempting to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages that sluggish feeling, that foggy state upon waking. “Research suggests it’s better to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel groggy when you get up – while if you extend it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and should get up feeling more alert. However, if you’re sleeping for a long period, it can influence how you sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Perfect Nap Environment
As for precise methods, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose adopting similar routines you’d use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and as much darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze on a couch in the existing light is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to preserve your bed as the place your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” says a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to lie down and essentially tell yourself to nod off. There must be a natural inclination available to initiate sleep initially. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to fit in a quick nap during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable to employ sleep aids. “When I’m working with footballers, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
