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Listen to plenty of self-improvement gurus, and you'll be simple to think that napping is a powerful tool: rather than a band-aid after restless night, but a shortcut to improved recall, a brighter outlook and maybe improved athletic performance. Professional footballers are all at it – as do musicians, mixed martial artists & business leaders. Yet, when you lack a room for napping or employment that permits daytime sleep, can there *honestly* enough benefits to a quick nap for it to be worth the effort? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling improved, rather than worse?

Identifying Your Nap Motivation

“There are three key drivers for napping for many people,” explains a leading circadian rhythm specialist. “One is known as compensatory napping, which is the action you take following insufficient sleep overnight. The second is pre-emptive sleep, when you are anticipating a sleep deficit coming up, for example during overnight shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which essentially is about wanting: you have a moment to nap in the daytime, and it's enjoyable to indulge.”

The first thing to consider, so, is to examine your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep is disturbed due to causes beyond your control – for example, when you are caring for an infant, or if you are healing from illness or heavy physical exertion,” says a sleep specialist. “However, if you’re napping as your night sleep feels fragile or broken, that’s often a signal your need for sleep is not as strong as it should be. In such situations, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, not the solution. Employ naps as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the main goal should still be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”

The Ideal Nap Length

Therefore that napping shouldn’t be sufficiently lengthy to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and preferably shouldn’t take place in the late afternoon (based on when you go to bed in the evening). What's a reasonable length? Guidelines are mixed. Among the most-cited studies regarding daytime sleep, researchers at Nasa found that space travelers showed up to a 54% increase in attentiveness and a 34% increase in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (in detail, this involved a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting a timer for 20 to 30 minutes – the majority are asleep quickly,” says a specialist. “You'll find much advice around about the perfect length of time, yet that often make people feel more anxious than anything – and the least helpful action one can do while aiming to get to sleep is to stress over it.”

If you plan to sleep for longer, steer clear of the 45-60 minute window that encourages sleep grogginess, that foggy state when you awaken. “Research indicates it's more effective to have a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” explains the sleep scientist. “Forty-five minutes is sufficient to put you into deep sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy when you get up – however, if you extend it a bit longer to a full sleep cycle, it's likely you'll to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to wake up feeling more rejuvenated. But if you're dozing for 90 minutes, it can influence the quality of your sleep that night.”

Creating the Right Sleep Space

Regarding exact methodologies, suggestions are diverse. Certain specialists recommend employing the same protocol you’d use to foster quality nighttime sleep: a silent space, a comfortable bed and minimal light as you can manage. Others suggest that one could just doze on a couch in whatever light is available – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to “protect” your sleeping quarters as the place you associate with nighttime rest. “Falling asleep is notoriously difficult to command,” notes an expert. “Lacking any sleepiness, it is more challenging to recline and essentially tell yourself to nod off. There’s got to be some sleep pressure present to initiate sleep in the first place. Personally, I can often snooze in broad daylight and wake up naturally without a timer, however, what assists most folks is to wait for a time where they feel naturally somewhat sleepy and then simply relax into it.”

Trying different approaches is valuable, and should your choices are limited – such as, when aiming to fit in some shut-eye on a train or in a work pod – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with footballers, I suggest that they not rely on sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will