Tune into enough performance podcasters, and you'll be easy to think that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a sticking plaster following restless night, but a path to improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe quicker running times. Elite footballers are all at it – along with concert pianists, UFC champions and high-profile executives. However, if you don't have a dedicated nap-room or a job that allows regular snoozing, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the effort? Is there a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying The Drive to Snooze
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap in the adult population,” says a leading sleep and circadian science professor. “Firstly, there's termed make-up sleep, essentially what you do after experiencing a lack of sleep the night before. Another is prophylactic napping, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep coming up, for instance when working on night shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which basically boils down to wanting: you have an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The first thing to consider, therefore, is to think about why you want to nap. “Naps can be genuinely useful when nighttime sleep is disturbed due to causes outside your control – such as, for a new parent, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” states a sleep expert. “Yet when you take a nap because your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that’s often a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it should be. In such situations, naps can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus must always be a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
Therefore that naps ought not to be too extended to interfere with your overnight rest, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on what time you go to bed at night). How long is sensible? Advice differs. Among the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists noted that crew members experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this counted an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I recommend using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – the majority fall asleep within 10 minutes,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of advice around about the ideal number for sleeping, however, that can cause people to feel more anxious above all – and the worst thing one can do when trying to nod off is worry about it.”
If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that induces sleep inertia, that spaced-out feeling upon waking. “Research suggests it's more effective to take an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” notes the expert. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – however, if you nap for a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end of a sleep cycle and will probably get up feeling more alert. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep in the evening.”
Establishing an Ideal Nap Environment
Regarding exact methodologies, advice differs. Certain specialists recommend employing similar routines one would use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and as much darkness as possible. Others suggest that you should just doze in a chair in whatever light is present – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your sleeping quarters as the environment your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says an expert. “Lacking any sleepiness, it becomes harder to recline and essentially command yourself to go to sleep. There’s got to be some drive present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and awaken on my own without a timer, but what helps a lot of people is to anticipate a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and if options are scarce – for example, if you’re trying to squeeze in a quick nap while traveling or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine to use sleep aids. “In my work with footballers, I suggest that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, since they’re going to have|they will
