Tune into plenty of productivity podcasters, making it simple to think that napping is a secret weapon: more than a quick fix after restless night, but a path towards improved recall, a brighter outlook and perhaps quicker running times. Professional soccer players swear by it – along with concert pianists, UFC champions & high-profile executives. But if you don't have a special sleep space or a career that allows frequent naps, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the hassle? Can you find a surefire technique to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?
Exploring The Reasons for Napping
“There are three key drivers for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains a leading sleep and circadian science professor. “One is termed recovery napping, essentially what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is pre-emptive sleep, where you are pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, such as when working graveyard shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which basically comes down to the wish: you have a moment to doze in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The first thing to consider, then, is consider your reason for napping. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors you cannot change – such as, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or recovering from illness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep expert. “Yet when you nap as your nighttime sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that can be a signal your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it should be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, instead of the fix. Use napping as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus ought to remain a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Nap Length
Therefore that daytime sleep ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your sleep at night, and best should not occur post-3 p.m. (contingent on when you sleep in the evening). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. From the most referenced research about napping, researchers at Nasa discovered that astronauts showed up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% boost in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted a six-minute sleep onset time). “My advice is setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep in under ten minutes,” notes a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations about the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to make people feel more stressed than anything else – and the worst thing you can possibly do when trying to nod off is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to sleep for longer, avoid the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you wake. “The science would say it's more effective to opt for an extended nap of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the professor. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to plunge you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – while if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing of a sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to specific techniques, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend adopting similar routines you’d use to encourage restful sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as you can manage. Some advise that you should just doze on the sofa in whatever light is available – to prevent that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the place your mind associates with proper sleep. “Napping is notoriously difficult to command,” says a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and practically instruct yourself to fall asleep. There must be some sleep pressure there to start the process initially. For me, it's possible to nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up alarm-free, but what helps a lot of people is to anticipate a time where they feel naturally slightly tired and calmly ease into sleep.”
Trying different approaches is valuable, and if your choices are limited – for instance, if you’re trying to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, as they’re going to have|they will
