The Secret to an Ideal Nap: When, Where & for How Long?

Tune into a few self-improvement experts, and you'll be easy to think that a nap is a powerful tool: rather than a band-aid following poor sleep, but a shortcut towards improved recall, improved mood and possibly quicker running times. Premier League athletes do it regularly – and so are concert pianists, UFC champions and high-profile executives. However, if you haven’t got a dedicated nap-room or employment that encourages regular snoozing, are there *really* sufficient advantages to a burst of shut-eye to merit the effort? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, rather than worse?

Identifying Your Nap Motivation

“There are three main reasons for napping among most adults,” says an expert sleep science specialist. “One is termed make-up sleep, which is the action you take following poor sleep the night before. The second is preparatory napping, where you are pre-empting sleep loss in the future, for example during overnight shifts. The third reason is “pleasure-based sleep”, which basically comes down to wanting: there is a chance to sleep in the afternoon, and it's enjoyable to do it.”

The first thing to do, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Daytime sleep can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is being disrupted because of factors outside your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering from sickness or intense exercise,” explains a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping because your night sleep seems unreliable or unreliable, that is frequently an indicator your sleep drive is not where required. Under those circumstances, naps can become a contributing factor, instead of the fix. Utilize daytime sleep as a short-term solution to address immediate needs – the focus must always be a solid and consistent sleep at night.”

The Optimal Nap Duration

Therefore that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to disrupt your nighttime sleep, and ideally should not occur after about 3pm (contingent on when you go to bed overnight). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. Among a prominent study on the subject, researchers at Nasa found that crew members had improvements of over 50% in attentiveness and a 34% increase in performance post a 26-minute snooze (technically, this included an initial six-minute nodding-off period). “My advice is using an alarm for 20-30 minutes – many individuals fall asleep in under ten minutes,” says a specialist. “You'll find much recommendations regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, but that tends to cause people to feel more worried above all – and the most counterproductive thing you can do while aiming to nod off is to be anxious.”

If you plan to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that encourages that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “The science indicates it's more effective to have a lengthier snooze lasting 60-90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into a deep sleep stage and it is more probable to feel groggy upon awakening – however, if you take it a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you nap for 90 minutes, it may impact your sleep that night.”

Establishing the Perfect Snooze Setting

Regarding exact methodologies, advice differs. Some experts propose using similar routines you use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as possible. Some advise that it's fine to just doze in a chair in the existing light happens to be around – both to discourage post-nap grogginess and to preserve your sleeping quarters as the space your mind associates with proper sleep. “Falling asleep is something really tricky to force,” explains a specialist. “Without the urge to sleep, it becomes harder to recline and essentially tell yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be some sleep pressure there to start the process in the first place. Personally, I can often take a nap during the day and naturally wake up alarm-free, though, what aids most folks is to look for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and calmly relax into it.”

Trying different approaches is valuable, and should options are scarce – for instance, if attempting to squeeze in some shut-eye on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “Coaching footballers, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, because they’re going to have|they will