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Listen to enough performance experts, and it’s simple to convince yourself that napping is a superpower: rather than a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a route towards a better memory, improved mood and possibly improved athletic performance. Premier League footballers swear by it – and so are musicians, UFC champions & media moguls. Yet, when you don't have a room for napping or a job that permits regular snoozing, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep to justify the hassle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? And can you truly ensure you will get up feeling refreshed, instead of groggy?

Identifying Your Reasons for Napping

“There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” explains a professor of circadian rhythm professor. “The first is what we call make-up sleep, which is what you do following insufficient sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, when you are pre-empting sleep loss in the future, for instance during overnight shifts. The third is called “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply is about desire: you get a moment to doze during the day, and it feels nice to do it.”

The first thing to do, so, is consider your nap motivation. “Daytime sleep can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed because of factors you cannot change – for instance, for caring for an infant, or you’re recovering after being ill or heavy physical exertion,” states a sleep specialist. “However, if you take a nap since your sleep at night seems unreliable or unreliable, that can be an indicator your need for sleep is not where it needs to be. Under those circumstances, naps can become part of the problem, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the main goal ought to remain a strong and predictable overnight rest.”

The Perfect Nap Length

This implies that daytime sleep must not be too extended to disrupt your overnight rest, and best are not recommended post-3 p.m. (based on when you sleep overnight). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies about napping, space agency scientists discovered that space travelers had a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in task performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this included a six-minute long sleep onset time). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – most people doze off in under ten minutes,” notes a sleep expert. “You'll find much advice around concerning the optimal amount of time, however, that can lead individuals to become more stressed than anything – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to get to sleep is to be anxious.”

If you plan to sleep for longer, avoid the 45-60 minute window that induces sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research would say it's more effective to take an extended nap of one to one and a half hours compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel sluggish when you wake up – however, if you nap for a bit longer to an hour or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be completing a full cycle and should awaken feeling more alert. However, if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it will affect how you sleep in the evening.”

Finding the Perfect Snooze Setting

As for exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend using comparable habits you use to promote restful sleep: a silent space, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as you can manage. Others suggest that you should merely snooze on the sofa in the existing light is available – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bed as the place your mind associates with nighttime rest. “Napping is notoriously difficult to force,” explains a sleep coach. “If you don’t have any drowsiness, it becomes harder to lie down and practically instruct yourself to nod off. You need some drive present to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually nap during the day and wake up naturally alarm-free, however, what assists many individuals is to look for a moment when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly allow sleep to come.”

Experimentation is key, and if you have few options – such as, when aiming to fit in some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – it is perfectly fine with bringing sleep aids. “Coaching elite athletes, I recommend that they avoid becoming accustomed to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will