Hear a few productivity gurus, and it’s simple to think that dozing is a superpower: more than a band-aid following poor sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, improved mood and possibly a faster 5k run time. Professional soccer players swear by it – and so are concert pianists, mixed martial artists & media moguls. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling better, instead of groggy?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three primary motivations for napping in the adult population,” explains an expert sleep and circadian science researcher. “One is known as recovery napping, which is what you do following a lack of sleep the night before. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit ahead, for example when working overnight shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which simply comes down to desire: you get a chance to sleep during the day, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The initial step to do, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep expert. “However, if you’re napping since your nighttime sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that can be an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it should be. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the focus ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
Therefore that naps must not be sufficiently lengthy to affect your nighttime sleep, and preferably should not occur in the late afternoon (based on the time you go to bed overnight). How long is sensible? Guidelines are mixed. From the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists found that space travelers showed improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute long sleep onset time). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people are asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of guidance out there regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can make people feel more stressed than anything else – and the least helpful action you can do when attempting to fall asleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, bypass the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “The science would say it’s better to take a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the expert. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to plunge you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you take it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you’re likely to be completing a full cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Creating an Ideal Sleep Space
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. Certain specialists suggest adopting comparable habits you use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as possible. Others suggest that it's fine to just doze on the sofa with ambient lighting is present – to avoid that groggy feeling and to preserve your bed as the environment your brain links with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is quite challenging to force,” explains an expert. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to recline and basically command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and wake up naturally without a timer, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate an instance where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and when you have few options – such as, if you’re trying to grab 40 winks during a commute or in a work pod – it's acceptable to use sleep aids. “In my work with elite athletes, I recommend that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
