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Hear enough self-improvement podcasters, and you'll be simple to think that dozing is a superpower: rather than a quick fix after restless night, but a shortcut towards a better memory, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Elite soccer players do it regularly – as do musicians, mixed martial artists and business leaders. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* enough benefits to a burst of shut-eye to merit the kerfuffle? Can you find a reliable way to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you’ll wake up feeling better, rather than worse?

Exploring The Nap Motivation

“There are three main reasons for taking a nap in the adult population,” notes an expert circadian rhythm professor. “Firstly, there's what we call make-up sleep, which is what you do when you’ve had a lack of sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, where you are pre-empting insufficient sleep in the future, for example if you’re working overnight shifts. The third is called “hedonic napping”, which essentially boils down to the wish: you have an opportunity to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to nap.”

The initial step to undertake, then, is to examine your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when night sleeping is disturbed due to causes beyond your control – for example, for a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or strenuous activity,” says a sleep expert. “But if you nap as your nighttime sleep seems unreliable or broken, that is frequently a sign your need for sleep is not at the level it needs to be. In such situations, napping can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority ought to remain a robust and regular overnight rest.”

The Optimal Nap Length

Therefore that naps must not be too extended to interfere with your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (depending on the time you retire in the evening). How long is sensible? Recommendations vary. From the most referenced research about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that astronauts had up to a 54% increase in alertness plus a 34% rise in task performance after a 26-minute nap (in detail, this included a six-minute falling asleep phase). “My advice is setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – most people fall asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “There’s a lot of recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, yet that often cause people to feel more worried than anything else – and the worst thing you can do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”

If you plan to take an extended nap, bypass the period between 45 and 60 minutes that induces that sluggish feeling, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “The science indicates it's more effective to have a lengthier snooze of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” notes the expert. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to plunge you into slow-wave sleep making it more likely to feel disoriented when you wake up – while if you take it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to finish a natural sleep cycle and will probably awaken feeling more rejuvenated. But if you’re sleeping for a long period, it will affect how you sleep that night.”

Establishing the Perfect Sleep Space

As for specific techniques, recommendations vary. A few professionals propose using the same protocol you use to promote a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and minimal light as is feasible. Some advise that it's fine to merely snooze in a chair in the existing light is available – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to command,” notes a sleep coach. “Without the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to lie down and practically command yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to start the process in the first place. I can usually take a nap in full light and wake up naturally alarm-free, though, what aids many individuals is to wait for an instance where they feel naturally feeling a bit drowsy and then simply allow sleep to come.”

Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for instance, when aiming to squeeze in 40 winks while traveling or at the office – it is perfectly fine to use sleep aids. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I suggest that they don’t get used to their own bed for naps, since they’re going to have|they will