The Key to a Perfect Nap: Timing, Location and Duration?
Listen to a few performance podcasters, and it’s simple to believe that napping is a superpower: rather than a quick fix following restless night, but a path to a better memory, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Elite athletes are all at it – and so are musicians, UFC champions and business leaders. But if you don't have a special sleep space or employment that encourages frequent naps, are there *really* enough benefits to a quick nap to merit the hassle? Is there a surefire technique to get to sleep quickly enough? And can you truly ensure you will arise feeling improved, not worse?
Identifying The Drive to Snooze
“There are three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” explains an expert sleep science researcher. “One is what we call make-up sleep, that is what you do following a lack of sleep the night before. Secondly, there's preparatory napping, where you are anticipating sleep loss in the future, such as if you’re working on night shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which basically is about desire: you have a chance to sleep in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to nap.”
The primary task to consider, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Napping can be genuinely useful when night sleeping is disturbed due to causes you cannot change – for example, for a parent of a newborn, or recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep physiologist. “But if you nap because your night sleep seems unreliable or poor, that’s often a sign your body's sleep pressure is not at the level it should be. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
Therefore that daytime sleep must not be long enough to affect your overnight rest, and best should not occur after about 3pm (based on the time you sleep in the evening). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From the most referenced research about napping, space agency scientists noted that crew members had up to a 54% increase in attentiveness plus a 34% rise in performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – the majority fall asleep in under ten minutes,” explains a specialist. “You'll find much advice around concerning the perfect length of minutes, however, that can cause people to feel more anxious above all – and the least helpful action one can do when trying to get to sleep is to be anxious.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research would say it is preferable to opt for an extended nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” says the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you get up – while if you nap for slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you will probably to be on the end of a sleep cycle and will probably get up feeling more refreshed. Though if you’re sleeping for an hour and a half, it may impact how you sleep that night.”
Creating the Perfect Snooze Setting
When it comes to exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists propose employing similar routines you’d use to promote restful sleep: a peaceful area, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in the existing light is present – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to maintain your bed as the space your brain links with nighttime rest. “Sleep is something really tricky to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and basically tell yourself to fall asleep. There must be some drive there to initiate sleep initially. Personally, I can often snooze in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, but what helps most folks is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply relax into it.”
Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – for example, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
