Tune into enough self-improvement experts, making it simple to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: more than a quick fix following poor sleep, but a path towards a better memory, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League soccer players swear by it – as do professional piano players, mixed martial artists & business leaders. However, if you don't have a special sleep space or employment that encourages daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Does there exist a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you honestly promise you will get up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Identifying The Drive to Snooze
“Experts note three main reasons for taking a nap for many people,” says a leading sleep science researcher. “The first is known as recovery napping, that is what you do following poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, which involves pre-empting sleep loss ahead, for example during overnight shifts. Finally, there's “appetitive drive”, which essentially is about the wish: you have a moment to sleep during the day, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The initial step to consider, therefore, is to think about your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when night sleeping is being disrupted because of factors you cannot change – such as, if you’re a new parent, or if you are healing after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap because your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that can be a sign your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as required. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, rather than the answer. Employ naps for brief periods to address immediate needs – the focus should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Perfect Snooze Time
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and best shouldn’t take place post-3 p.m. (based on what time you sleep at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. In one of a prominent study regarding daytime sleep, experts noted that crew members had improvements of over 50% in vigilance and a 34% boost in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this involved an initial six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people fall asleep within 10 minutes,” notes a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of recommendations concerning the optimal amount of time, yet that often lead individuals to become more anxious than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Studies suggests it's more effective to take a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the expert. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you extend it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish of a sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Perfect Snooze Setting
As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts suggest adopting the same protocol you’d use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and minimal light as you can manage. Others suggest that you should just doze in a chair with ambient lighting is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the place your brain links with proper sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to force,” says an expert. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is tougher to lie down and essentially command yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive present to bring the sleep on initially. I can usually nap in full light and naturally wake up without a timer, however, what assists most folks is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and just gently ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and when your choices are limited – for instance, when aiming to grab 40 winks on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing a few tools. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I advise that they not rely on their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will
