The Secret to a Perfect Snooze: When, Location and Duration?
Hear a few performance experts, making it tempting to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: rather than a sticking plaster after a bad night’s sleep, but a path to a better memory, better spirits and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League soccer players do it regularly – along with professional piano players, fighters and high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a room for napping or a career that allows regular snoozing, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a burst of shut-eye to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? Plus, is it possible to honestly promise you will get up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three primary motivations for daytime sleep in the adult population,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science researcher. “The first is known as recovery napping, that is what you do after experiencing poor sleep the night before. Another is pre-emptive sleep, when you are preparing for insufficient sleep ahead, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially is about wanting: you have a moment to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”
The primary task to undertake, so, is to think about your nap motivation. “Napping can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons outside your control – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” explains a sleep expert. “However, if you nap because your night sleep feels fragile or broken, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not where it should be. In such situations, naps can become part of the issue, not the solution. Employ naps as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the main goal should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Length
This implies that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to interfere with your sleep at night, and best shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on what time you sleep in the evening). What duration is wise? Advice differs. Among a prominent study on the subject, space agency scientists found that space travelers experienced improvements of over 50% in alertness and a 34% boost in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep within 10 minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of advice around about the ideal number for sleeping, however, that can cause people to feel more stressed than anything – and the worst thing one can do when attempting to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to sleep for longer, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that promotes sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Research indicates it’s better to have an extended nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” says the expert. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel sluggish upon awakening – while if you extend it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end of a sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more alert. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it may impact your sleep later that night.”
Establishing the Perfect Sleep Space
When it comes to specific techniques, recommendations vary. Certain specialists propose adopting the same protocol you use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Some advise that you should simply nap on a couch with ambient lighting is available – both to discourage sleep inertia and to preserve your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with proper sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” explains a specialist. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and basically tell yourself to nod off. There must be some drive present to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually nap during the day and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to anticipate a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and calmly ease into sleep.”
Experimentation is key, and should your choices are limited – for example, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or at the office – it's acceptable to use a few tools. “In my work with elite athletes, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
