Hear plenty of productivity experts, and it’s easy to believe that dozing is a superpower: not just a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut to improved recall, a brighter outlook and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League athletes are all at it – as do musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to justify the hassle? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling better, not worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“Experts note three key drivers for daytime sleep in the adult population,” notes an expert sleep and circadian science professor. “One is termed recovery napping, essentially the action you take when you’ve had insufficient sleep overnight. Another is prophylactic napping, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit in the future, such as when working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which simply boils down to desire: you have an opportunity to doze during the day, and it feels nice to nap.”
The initial step to consider, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, if you’re caring for an infant, or recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep expert. “Yet when you take a nap since your night sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not where required. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus should still be a strong and predictable sleep at night.”
The Ideal Snooze Time
This means that daytime sleep ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your sleep at night, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (contingent on when you go to bed in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. From a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists discovered that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in task performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this involved an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is setting an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off quickly,” notes a specialist. “You'll find much advice around concerning the perfect length of time, however, that can lead individuals to become more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action you can do when trying to nod off is worry about it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies suggests it’s better to have a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is sufficient to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – while if you take it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a natural sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for a long period, it will affect your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Right Sleep Space
When it comes to precise methods, recommendations vary. A few professionals propose adopting similar routines you’d use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze on a couch with ambient lighting is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the place you associate with proper sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking any drowsiness, it is tougher to lie down and basically instruct yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination there to initiate sleep to begin with. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally without an alarm, however, what assists a lot of people is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally slightly tired and calmly allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – such as, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will
