The Secret to a Perfect Kip: When, Where and Duration?
Listen to a few performance gurus, making it tempting to think that napping is a secret weapon: not just a quick fix following poor sleep, but a shortcut to a better memory, improved mood and perhaps quicker running times. Premier League athletes do it regularly – as do musicians, mixed martial artists and media moguls. But if you don't have a room for napping or employment that allows daytime sleep, are there *really* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Is there a dependable method to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling refreshed, not worse?
Identifying The Reasons for Napping
“We can identify three main reasons for daytime sleep among most adults,” explains an expert circadian rhythm researcher. “One is known as make-up sleep, essentially what you do after experiencing poor sleep the night before. Another is pre-emptive sleep, which involves pre-empting a sleep deficit in the future, for example during overnight shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to desire: you get an opportunity to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”
The initial step to undertake, therefore, is to examine why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping gets interrupted because of factors you cannot change – for instance, if you’re caring for an infant, or you’re recovering after being ill or intense exercise,” explains a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap because your sleep at night seems unreliable or broken, that’s often a signal your sleep drive is not at the level it should be. In such situations, naps can become a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority ought to remain a solid and consistent overnight rest.”
The Ideal Nap Duration
Therefore that naps shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to disrupt your overnight rest, and best shouldn’t take place after about 3pm (contingent on what time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. Among the most referenced research about napping, experts found that space travelers showed a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in performance after a 26-minute nap (technically, this counted a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “There’s a lot of advice around concerning the ideal number of minutes, however, that can cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”
If you’re going to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep inertia, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research would say it’s better to opt for a longer nap of one to one and a half hours rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the expert. “Forty-five minutes is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – whereas if you extend it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing a natural sleep cycle and should wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for a long period, it can influence how you sleep in the evening.”
Creating the Perfect Nap Environment
When it comes to specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts propose using the same protocol you’d use to encourage a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a cozy bed and minimal light as you can manage. Some advise that you should just doze on a couch in the existing light happens to be around – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to maintain your bed as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes a specialist. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and essentially instruct yourself to fall asleep. You need some drive available to bring the sleep on to begin with. I can usually nap in broad daylight and awaken on my own without a timer, though, what aids many individuals is to anticipate a moment that they’re naturally slightly tired and then simply allow sleep to come.”
It’s worth experimenting, and when you have few options – such as, when aiming to grab a quick nap while traveling or in a soundproof office pod – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “Coaching professional sportspeople, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will
