Hear plenty of performance experts, and it’s simple to think that dozing is a secret weapon: not just a sticking plaster after restless night, but a route towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Professional footballers do it regularly – and so are musicians, mixed martial artists and high-profile executives. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that encourages regular snoozing, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the hassle? Does there exist a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you honestly promise you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?
Exploring The Nap Motivation
“There are three key drivers for taking a nap among most adults,” notes an expert circadian rhythm researcher. “One is termed make-up sleep, which is what happens following poor sleep overnight. Another is preparatory napping, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, such as when working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially boils down to desire: there is a chance to sleep during the day, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The primary task to do, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep is being disrupted because of factors you cannot change – for example, for caring for an infant, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping since your night sleep is unstable or broken, that can be an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not where it should be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the problem, rather than the answer. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the priority should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
This means that naps must not be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and ideally should not occur after about 3pm (depending on the time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted a six-minute long sleep onset time). “I recommend setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people doze off in under ten minutes,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations about the perfect length for sleeping, yet that often cause people to feel more worried than anything – and the least helpful action you can possibly do when attempting to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to nap for a longer period, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Research suggests it is preferable to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the expert. “45 minutes is sufficient to put you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish upon awakening – whereas if you take it slightly longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing of a sleep cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep later that night.”
Creating the Perfect Sleep Space
As for exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose adopting similar routines you use to foster restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and as much darkness as is feasible. Some advise that it's fine to just doze on the sofa with ambient lighting happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is quite challenging 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 sleep pressure present to start the process in the first place. I can usually snooze in broad daylight and awaken on my own without an alarm, but what helps a lot of people is to wait for a time when they are naturally feeling a bit drowsy and just gently relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to squeeze in 40 winks during a commute or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I advise that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
