The Key to a Flawless Snooze: Timing, Where and for How Long?
Hear plenty of self-improvement podcasters, and it’s tempting to believe that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a quick fix after poor sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, a brighter outlook and perhaps improved athletic performance. Professional athletes do it regularly – as do musicians, fighters and high-profile executives. But if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the effort? Is there a reliable way to nod off promptly? And can you honestly promise you will arise feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?
Identifying Your Reasons for Napping
“There are three primary motivations for taking a nap in the adult population,” says an expert sleep and circadian science specialist. “The first is known as make-up sleep, which is what you do following poor sleep the previous night. The second is prophylactic napping, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit in the future, such as if you’re working graveyard shifts. The third is called “appetitive drive”, which essentially is about the wish: there is an opportunity to sleep during the day, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”
The initial step to consider, so, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed because of factors beyond your control – for example, if you’re a new parent, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep physiologist. “However, if you nap as your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that is frequently a sign your need for sleep is not at the level required. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into part of the issue, instead of the fix. Employ naps as a temporary measure for short-term problems – the priority must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”
The Perfect Nap Duration
This implies that naps shouldn’t be too extended to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and preferably are not recommended post-3 p.m. (depending on when you sleep overnight). How long is sensible? Advice differs. From the most-cited studies on the subject, space agency scientists found that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this counted a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals doze off within 10 minutes,” says a sleep expert. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the perfect length for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more stressed than anything else – and the most counterproductive thing you can possibly do while aiming to fall asleep is to stress over it.”
Should you decide to take an extended nap, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces sleep inertia, that foggy state when you awaken. “Studies indicates it's more effective to have an extended nap of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” explains the professor. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into deep sleep making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – however, if you extend it a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to finish a natural sleep cycle and should get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you're dozing for a long period, it can influence how you sleep in the evening.”
Creating an Ideal Nap Environment
As for precise methods, recommendations vary. Some experts propose using the same protocol you’d use to promote restful sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and as much darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that one could just doze on a couch in the existing light is present – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the environment your brain links with proper sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes a specialist. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it is tougher to get comfortable and practically command yourself to go to sleep. There must be a natural inclination present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and awaken on my own alarm-free, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
Experimentation is key, and if you have few options – for instance, if you’re trying to grab some shut-eye during a commute or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine to employ a few tools. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I advise that they avoid becoming accustomed to their own bed for naps, because they’re going to have|they will
