Listen to a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s tempting to think that dozing is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid following poor sleep, but a path towards a better memory, better spirits and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League athletes do it regularly – along with musicians, UFC champions & business leaders. Yet, when you don't have a room for napping or a job that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* enough benefits to a quick nap to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will get up feeling better, instead of groggy?
Identifying Your Drive to Snooze
“There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” says a leading sleep science professor. “Firstly, there's what we call compensatory napping, which is the action you take after experiencing insufficient sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, where you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, for instance during overnight shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically comes down to wanting: you have a chance to nap in the daytime, and it's pleasant to nap.”
The primary task to consider, then, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when overnight rest is disturbed because of factors you cannot change – for example, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you nap since your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that is frequently a sign your sleep drive is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a strong and predictable night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Length
This means that daytime sleep ought not to be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and preferably should not occur after about 3pm (based on the time you go to bed overnight). What duration is wise? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists found that astronauts showed a boost of up to 54% in alertness and a 34% increase in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this involved a six-minute long nodding-off period). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people are asleep quickly,” explains a sleep coach. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, avoid the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “The science would say it’s better to take a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be completing of a sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it will affect the quality of your sleep that night.”
Creating the Perfect Snooze Setting
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Some experts suggest adopting the same protocol one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Some advise that it's fine to just doze on the sofa in the existing light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bedroom as the place your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says a specialist. “If you don’t have any sleepiness, it becomes harder to lie down and essentially tell yourself to nod off. There’s got to be some drive available to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually nap during the day and wake up naturally alarm-free, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if attempting to fit in 40 winks while traveling or in a work pod – it's acceptable to use some accessories. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
