Hear enough performance podcasters, making it tempting to think that a nap is a secret weapon: rather than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Premier League footballers are all at it – as do professional piano players, UFC champions & high-profile executives. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that allows daytime sleep, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you honestly promise you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding The Nap Motivation
“We can identify three primary motivations for taking a nap in the adult population,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “The first is what we call compensatory napping, that is the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are preparing for sleep loss in the future, for instance when working on night shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which essentially boils down to desire: you get an opportunity to doze in the afternoon, and it feels nice to nap.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to examine your reason for napping. “Napping can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes beyond your control – such as, when you are a new parent, or you’re recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep specialist. “But if you’re napping since your sleep at night feels fragile or unreliable, that can be a signal your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Use napping as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the main goal must always be a solid and consistent sleep at night.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
Therefore that naps shouldn’t be long enough to affect your sleep at night, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (based on the time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists noted that space travelers showed up to a 54% increase in vigilance plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this included a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – most people are asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around regarding the ideal number of time, however, that can cause people to feel more anxious above all – and the least helpful action you can possibly do when trying to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “The science would say it's more effective to take a longer nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to put you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel sluggish when you get up – however, if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing of a sleep cycle and should get up feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it will affect the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Right Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, recommendations vary. A few professionals recommend adopting the same protocol you use to foster restful sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as possible. Some advise that you should simply nap on a couch with ambient lighting happens to be around – to avoid sleep inertia and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the place your brain links with *real* sleep. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to will,” notes a specialist. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and practically tell yourself to fall asleep. You need a natural inclination available to bring the sleep on in the first place. For me, it's possible to take a nap during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, however, what assists many individuals is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and should you have few options – for example, if attempting to fit in 40 winks on a train or at the office – it's acceptable to use sleep aids. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
