Listen to a few productivity podcasters, making it tempting to convince yourself that dozing is a powerful tool: not just a sticking plaster after restless night, but a shortcut to a better memory, better spirits and maybe quicker running times. Premier League soccer players swear by it – and so are musicians, UFC champions & media moguls. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or a job that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a short sleep for it to be worth the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling better, rather than worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for napping for many people,” notes a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “One is what we call recovery napping, which is what you do after experiencing a lack of sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, which involves anticipating a sleep deficit in the future, such as when working graveyard shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially is about wanting: there is a moment to doze in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep is disturbed due to causes beyond your control – such as, for a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep specialist. “However, if you nap as your nighttime sleep is unstable or broken, that’s often an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it needs to be. Under those circumstances, napping can become part of the problem, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the main goal must always be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
Therefore that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to disrupt your overnight rest, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (contingent on what time you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts found that crew members showed improvements of over 50% in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in performance following a nap of 26 minutes (technically, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off within 10 minutes,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations concerning the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the least helpful action you can do when trying to get to sleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep inertia, that foggy state when you wake. “Studies would say it is preferable to have a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you extend it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end of a sleep cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest adopting the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a cozy bed and minimal light as possible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to prevent sleep inertia and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with nighttime rest. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” notes a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and essentially instruct yourself to nod off. You need some sleep pressure available to start the process to begin with. I can usually take a nap during the day and awaken on my own without a timer, but what helps most folks is to look for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if you have few options – for example, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong to employ some accessories. “Coaching footballers, I recommend that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
