Hear plenty of performance podcasters, making it easy to think that napping is a superpower: rather than a band-aid following poor sleep, but a path towards enhanced cognition, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite athletes are all at it – as do musicians, mixed martial artists and media moguls. Yet, when you haven’t got a special sleep space or a career that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, not worse?
Exploring Your Nap Motivation
“Experts note three primary motivations for napping in the adult population,” says a professor of circadian rhythm researcher. “Firstly, there's what we call recovery napping, that is what happens following insufficient sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting a sleep deficit ahead, such as during on night shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply is about desire: you get a chance to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to nap.”
The first thing to undertake, then, is to think about your reason for napping. “Napping can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted due to causes you cannot change – such as, if you’re a new parent, or you’re recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “But if you take a nap as your sleep at night feels fragile or poor, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not where it should be. In such situations, napping can become part of the issue, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus should still be a robust and regular overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Length
This means that daytime sleep ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on the time you go to bed at night). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. From the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, space agency scientists discovered that astronauts had improvements of over 50% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There is plenty of advice around regarding the ideal number for sleeping, however, that can make people feel more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do while aiming to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it is preferable to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is enough time to send you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – whereas if you extend it a little longer to a full sleep cycle, you will probably to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more alert. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Finding the Perfect Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, advice differs. Some experts recommend using the same protocol you’d use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and minimal light as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to simply nap on a couch in the existing light is present – both to discourage sleep inertia and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to force,” notes a sleep coach. “Without any drowsiness, it is tougher to lie down and basically command yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination there to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually snooze during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, however, what assists most folks is to look for a moment when they are naturally slightly tired and then simply relax into it.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – for example, if attempting to squeeze in 40 winks while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable to employ a few tools. “Coaching footballers, I recommend that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will
