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Hear a few performance podcasters, and it’s simple to convince yourself that a nap is a powerful tool: not just a band-aid after a bad night’s sleep, but a shortcut to enhanced cognition, better spirits and maybe improved athletic performance. Professional soccer players are all at it – along with concert pianists, fighters and media moguls. Yet, when you lack a dedicated nap-room or employment that allows daytime sleep, is it *truly* worthwhile perks to a short sleep for it to be worth the effort? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Furthermore, can you truly ensure you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?

Understanding Your Reasons for Napping

“Experts note three main reasons for daytime sleep among most adults,” notes a professor of sleep and circadian science specialist. “The first is known as make-up sleep, essentially what you do after experiencing insufficient sleep the night before. Another is preparatory napping, which involves anticipating sleep loss coming up, for instance if you’re working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “pleasure-based sleep”, which simply is about wanting: you have a moment to sleep during the day, and it's pleasant to nap.”

The first thing to consider, therefore, is consider your reason for napping. “Naps can be really helpful when overnight rest gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – for instance, if you’re a parent of a newborn, or you’re recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” explains a sleep expert. “Yet when you take a nap since your sleep at night is unstable or poor, that is frequently a signal your body's sleep pressure is not where it should be. In those cases, napping can become part of the issue, not the solution. Employ naps as a temporary measure for temporary issues – the focus must always be a strong and predictable overnight rest.”

The Perfect Nap Length

Therefore that daytime sleep shouldn’t be long enough to interfere with your nighttime sleep, and best are not recommended after about 3pm (contingent on the time you retire in the evening). What duration is wise? Recommendations vary. In one of the most-cited studies on the subject, experts noted that crew members experienced improvements of over 50% in alertness plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this counted a six-minute falling asleep phase). “I’d suggest setting an alarm for 20 to 30 minutes – many individuals are asleep quickly,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around about the ideal number of minutes, yet that often lead individuals to become more stressed above all – and the least helpful action you can possibly do while aiming to fall asleep is worry about it.”

If you’re going to take an extended nap, steer clear of the 45 to 60 minute range that promotes sleep grogginess, that disoriented sensation upon waking. “Research indicates it's more effective to opt for a lengthier snooze of 60 to 90 minutes compared to a medium-length nap,” says the professor. “45 minutes is long enough to plunge you into a deep sleep stage making it more likely to feel groggy when you wake up – whereas if you nap for a little longer to an hour or 90 minutes, you’re likely to be on the end a full cycle and are likely to get up feeling more rejuvenated. Though if you’re sleeping for 90 minutes, it may impact how you sleep later that night.”

Establishing the Right Nap Environment

Regarding specific techniques, suggestions are diverse. Some experts suggest adopting comparable habits you use to foster a good night’s sleep: a quiet room, a supportive surface and as much darkness as possible. Some advise that you should just doze on the sofa in the existing light happens to be around – both to discourage sleep inertia and to “protect” your bedroom as the environment you associate with proper sleep. “Sleep is notoriously difficult to force,” explains a sleep coach. “Without any sleepiness, it is tougher to lie down and practically tell yourself to nod off. You need some sleep pressure there to initiate sleep to begin with. I can usually snooze in full light and awaken on my own without an alarm, but what helps many individuals is to look for a moment that they’re naturally slightly tired and then simply relax into it.”

It’s worth experimenting, and should options are scarce – for instance, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap during a commute or at the office – it is perfectly fine to use a few tools. “In my work with footballers, I recommend that they don’t get used to napping in bed, as they’re going to have|they will