Hear a few performance gurus, and it’s simple to think that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid following restless night, but a route to a better memory, a brighter outlook and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite footballers swear by it – and so are concert pianists, mixed martial artists and high-profile executives. Yet, when you haven’t got a room for napping or a job that permits daytime sleep, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep for it to be worth the hassle? Can you find a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three main reasons for daytime sleep for many people,” says a leading sleep and circadian science specialist. “Firstly, there's termed make-up sleep, that is what you do following insufficient sleep the night before. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for a sleep deficit coming up, for instance when working overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which simply is about the wish: you get an opportunity to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to indulge.”
The initial step to undertake, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Napping can be genuinely useful when night sleeping gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – for instance, for a new parent, or recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “But if you’re napping since your nighttime sleep is unstable or poor, that can be a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it needs to be. In those cases, naps can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Use napping for brief periods to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”
The Optimal Nap Duration
This means that naps shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your overnight rest, and best should not occur after about 3pm (based on when you sleep overnight). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. In one of the most referenced research on the subject, experts noted that space travelers had up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this counted an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is using an alarm for half an hour or less – most people doze off quickly,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around concerning the optimal amount of minutes, but that tends to lead individuals to become more anxious above all – and the worst thing you can do while aiming to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “The science indicates it is preferable to opt for an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the expert. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel disoriented when you get up – whereas if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to finish a natural sleep cycle and should get up feeling more refreshed. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Finding the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to precise methods, suggestions are diverse. A few professionals propose employing the same protocol you’d use to promote restful sleep: a peaceful area, a cozy bed and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to simply nap in a chair in whatever light is available – both to discourage sleep inertia and to preserve your bed as the place your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to will,” says an expert. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be some drive present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and wake up naturally alarm-free, however, what assists most folks is to wait for a time that they’re naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently allow sleep to come.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and when your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to grab some shut-eye while traveling or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
