Tune into a few self-improvement podcasters, and it’s easy to think that napping is a superpower: rather than a quick fix following poor sleep, but a path towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and perhaps a faster 5k run time. Premier League athletes do it regularly – along with concert pianists, fighters & high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a room for napping or a job that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* enough benefits to a short sleep to merit the hassle? Can you find a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” says a professor of sleep science specialist. “One is what we call compensatory napping, which is what you do following a lack of sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, for example when working graveyard shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which simply comes down to desire: you have a chance to nap during the day, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The primary task to consider, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is being disrupted for reasons beyond your control – for example, when you are a parent of a newborn, or recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “However, if you take a nap because your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or poor, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In those cases, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Employ naps for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority must always be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Length
This means that napping must not be too extended to affect your overnight rest, and preferably should not occur in the late afternoon (based on what time you sleep in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. From a prominent study about napping, researchers at Nasa discovered that astronauts experienced up to a 54% increase in vigilance plus a 34% rise in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this involved a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of advice around about the perfect length for sleeping, however, that can make people feel more worried than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to take an extended nap, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you wake. “Studies indicates it’s better to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the expert. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be on the end of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Right Snooze Setting
When it comes to precise methods, advice differs. Some experts suggest using the same protocol you use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that you should just doze in a chair in the existing light happens to be around – to avoid post-nap grogginess and to “protect” your bed as the place you associate with proper sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to will,” explains a sleep coach. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is tougher to recline and essentially command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some drive present to start the process to begin with. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and naturally wake up alarm-free, but what helps many individuals is to anticipate an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if options are scarce – for example, if attempting to grab 40 winks on a train or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
