Hear plenty of performance podcasters, and it’s easy to think that dozing is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a path towards enhanced cognition, a brighter outlook and perhaps quicker running times. Elite athletes are all at it – as do professional piano players, UFC champions and high-profile executives. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that allows regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to justify the effort? Is there a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you honestly promise you will get up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes an expert circadian rhythm researcher. “One is termed make-up sleep, that is what you do when you’ve had insufficient sleep the night before. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, where you are preparing for sleep loss ahead, for instance when working on night shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to wanting: you have an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons outside your control – such as, if you’re a new parent, or recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap since your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or poor, that is frequently an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as required. In such situations, naps can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution for temporary issues – the priority must always be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Length
Therefore that naps must not be long enough to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you retire at night). What duration is wise? Advice differs. In one of a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists noted that space travelers had improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% increase in cognitive performance following a nap of 26 minutes (in detail, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people are asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep expert. “There is plenty of guidance out there about the optimal amount for sleeping, yet that often cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action you can possibly do when trying to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to nap for a longer period, avoid the 45 to 60 minute range that induces that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “Studies suggests it is preferable to opt for a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “45 minutes is sufficient to put you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – whereas if you extend it slightly longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be on the end of a sleep cycle and should awaken feeling more rejuvenated. However, if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Right Sleep Space
As for specific techniques, advice differs. A few professionals recommend adopting the same protocol one would use to promote quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and as much darkness as possible. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair with ambient lighting happens to be around – to avoid that groggy feeling and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to will,” explains a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to lie down and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination available to start the process to begin with. For me, it's possible to snooze during the day and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
