Tune into a few performance experts, and it’s tempting to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: rather than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and possibly a faster 5k run time. Professional footballers do it regularly – as do musicians, UFC champions and high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or a career that permits daytime sleep, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a short sleep for it to be worth the effort? Can you find a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will arise feeling better, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” says a leading sleep and circadian science researcher. “Firstly, there's known as recovery napping, which is what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, such as during graveyard shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to wanting: you get a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The first thing to do, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons you cannot change – for example, if you’re a new parent, or if you are healing from illness or intense exercise,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your sleep at night seems unreliable or broken, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not where it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the priority ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Length
This implies that napping shouldn’t be long enough to disrupt your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you sleep overnight). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists found that space travelers had a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this involved a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – most people fall asleep quickly,” says a sleep coach. “There is plenty of guidance out there concerning the ideal number for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing one can do while aiming to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “Studies would say it's more effective to have an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes than a medium-length one,” notes the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to put you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect your sleep that night.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals suggest employing similar routines you’d use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa in the existing light is available – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the place you associate with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to will,” notes an expert. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it becomes harder to recline and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. You need some drive present to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids a lot of people 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 grab 40 winks while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ sleep aids. “Coaching footballers, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
