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Listen to a few productivity gurus, and it’s easy to convince yourself that a nap is a secret weapon: more than a band-aid after poor sleep, but a shortcut towards a better memory, a brighter outlook and possibly improved athletic performance. Elite soccer players swear by it – as do professional piano players, fighters & high-profile executives. But if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or a career that permits regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a short sleep to justify the effort? Is there a dependable method to get to sleep quickly enough? Plus, is it possible to truly ensure you will arise feeling improved, rather than worse?

Identifying The Nap Motivation

“There are three main reasons for taking a nap among most adults,” explains a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “One is what we call recovery napping, essentially the action you take following poor sleep overnight. Secondly, there's prophylactic napping, when you are pre-empting a sleep deficit coming up, for instance if you’re working on night shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which basically boils down to the wish: you have a moment to nap in the daytime, and it feels nice to nap.”

The initial step to do, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be really helpful when night sleeping is disturbed because of factors outside your control – for instance, when you are a new parent, or recovering from sickness or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you nap as your night sleep feels fragile or unreliable, that is frequently an indicator your body's sleep pressure is not as strong as it should be. In such situations, napping can become part of the issue, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep as a temporary measure to address immediate needs – the focus ought to remain a strong and predictable overnight rest.”

The Optimal Nap Length

This implies that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and preferably are not recommended in the late afternoon (contingent on the time you go to bed overnight). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, experts discovered that space travelers experienced up to a 54% increase in vigilance and a 34% increase in performance after a 26-minute nap (to be precise, this included an initial six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting a timer for half an hour or less – most people doze off quickly,” says a specialist. “There is plenty of recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, yet that often make people feel more stressed above all – and the most counterproductive thing one can do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”

If you’re going to take an extended nap, bypass the 45-60 minute window that promotes sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you awaken. “Research indicates it's more effective to have a longer nap of one to one and a half hours than a medium-length one,” explains the expert. “Forty-five minutes is long enough to send you into deep sleep and it is more probable to feel groggy when you get up – while if you nap for a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be completing a natural sleep cycle and should get up feeling more alert. Though if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it can influence your sleep in the evening.”

Finding the Perfect Snooze Setting

As for specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend employing the same protocol you use to encourage restful sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Some advise that you should merely snooze in a chair in whatever light is available – to avoid that groggy feeling and to maintain your bedroom as the environment your mind associates with *real* sleep. “Sleep is quite challenging to command,” explains a specialist. “Without any sleepiness, it is more challenging to get comfortable and essentially command yourself to nod off. There’s got to be a natural inclination available to start the process initially. I can usually snooze in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to look for an instance where they feel naturally slightly tired and calmly allow sleep to come.”

Trying different approaches is valuable, and if options are scarce – for instance, when aiming to squeeze in a quick nap on a train or in a soundproof office pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with professional sportspeople, I recommend that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will