Listen to a few self-improvement gurus, and it’s tempting to believe that dozing is a superpower: rather than a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards improved recall, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Elite footballers are all at it – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions & high-profile executives. Yet, when you haven’t got a special sleep space or a job that allows daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for napping in the adult population,” explains a professor of sleep science specialist. “Firstly, there's termed make-up sleep, which is what you do following poor sleep the night before. The second is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for example during on night shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically boils down to the wish: there is an opportunity to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to nap.”
The initial step to undertake, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when overnight rest is being disrupted due to causes you cannot change – such as, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “Yet when you take a nap because your sleep at night seems unreliable or broken, that’s often a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as it needs to be. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the main goal should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This means that naps must not be too extended to disrupt your overnight rest, and ideally should not occur in the late afternoon (depending on the time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists noted that crew members had a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute long nodding-off period). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep quickly,” explains a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing you can possibly do when attempting to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you wake. “Studies suggests it's more effective to have a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – however, if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more alert. However, if you’re sleeping for a long period, it can influence your sleep that night.”
Establishing an Ideal Sleep Space
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. Some experts suggest employing comparable habits you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Alternatively, experts propose that you should simply nap in a chair with ambient lighting is present – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the environment you associate with *real* sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and essentially command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some drive present to bring the sleep on in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to look for an instance that they’re naturally slightly tired and then simply relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and when your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – it is perfectly fine to use some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
