Hear enough self-improvement podcasters, making it tempting to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a sticking plaster following a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and maybe improved athletic performance. Premier League soccer players swear by it – as do musicians, mixed martial artists and high-profile executives. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows frequent naps, is it *truly* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye for it to be worth the effort? Does there exist a dependable method to nod off promptly? And can you honestly promise you will get up feeling better, not worse?
Understanding Your Nap Motivation
“We can identify three key drivers for taking a nap for many people,” explains a leading sleep and circadian science professor. “Firstly, there's what we call make-up sleep, essentially what happens when you’ve had insufficient sleep the previous night. Another is pre-emptive sleep, where you are preparing for sleep loss in the future, for instance during overnight shifts. The third reason is “appetitive drive”, which essentially comes down to desire: you get an opportunity to doze in the afternoon, and it's pleasant to do it.”
The first thing to do, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Napping can be genuinely useful when overnight rest is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – such as, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep expert. “But if you’re napping since your nighttime sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that’s often an indicator your sleep drive is not at the level it needs to be. Under those circumstances, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Use napping as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the priority should still be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”
The Optimal Snooze Time
This implies that napping ought not to be sufficiently lengthy to affect your nighttime sleep, and preferably shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (depending on the time you sleep in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Recommendations vary. In one of the most referenced research about napping, experts noted that astronauts had a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this involved a six-minute sleep onset time). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – the majority are asleep quickly,” notes a sleep coach. “There is plenty of advice around about the perfect length for sleeping, however, that can lead individuals to become more stressed above all – and the least helpful action you can do while aiming to get to sleep is to stress over it.”
If you plan to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you wake. “The science indicates it’s better to have a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to send you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – while if you extend it slightly longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a natural sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more alert. But if you nap for a long period, it can influence how you sleep that night.”
Creating the Right Nap Environment
Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. Some experts recommend employing similar routines you use to foster restful sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and minimal light as you can manage. Others suggest that one could merely snooze on the sofa in the existing light is available – to avoid sleep inertia and to preserve your bedroom as the environment your brain links with nighttime rest. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” says a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to recline and practically command yourself to fall asleep. You need a natural inclination present to bring the sleep on to begin with. For me, it's possible to nap in full light and wake up naturally without an alarm, however, what assists most folks is to look for a moment where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when you have few options – for instance, when aiming to squeeze in some shut-eye while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “In my work with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they not rely on napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will
