Hear enough self-improvement gurus, and you'll be tempting to believe that dozing is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Professional soccer players are all at it – along with musicians, fighters and business leaders. But if you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the effort? Does there exist a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, instead of groggy?
Exploring The Drive to Snooze
“We can identify three primary motivations for taking a nap among most adults,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “One is known as recovery napping, that is what you do following insufficient sleep overnight. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are anticipating insufficient sleep in the future, for example when working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which essentially comes down to desire: there is a moment to nap in the afternoon, and it feels nice to do it.”
The first thing to consider, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be truly beneficial when overnight rest gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for example, for a new parent, or recovering from illness or intense exercise,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your night sleep is unstable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not as strong as required. In those cases, napping can become part of the problem, not the solution. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the main goal ought to remain a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
This implies that daytime sleep must not be long enough to affect your overnight rest, and preferably should not occur in the late afternoon (depending on when you retire overnight). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists found that crew members showed a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the perfect length of time, however, that can make people feel more stressed than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state upon waking. “The science indicates it's more effective to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is sufficient to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel groggy when you wake up – whereas if you nap for a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to finish a natural sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it will affect the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Finding the Perfect Snooze Setting
As for exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend employing similar routines you’d use to promote a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that one could merely snooze in a chair in whatever light is present – to prevent sleep inertia and to preserve your bedroom as the place your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to will,” notes a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to lie down and basically command yourself to nod off. There must be some sleep pressure there to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to take a nap in broad daylight and wake up naturally without an alarm, but what helps most folks is to look for an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and should you have few options – for instance, if attempting to squeeze in 40 winks on a train or at the office – it is perfectly fine to employ sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
