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Tune into plenty of self-improvement experts, and you'll be simple to convince yourself that a nap is a superpower: rather than a quick fix after a bad night’s sleep, but a route to enhanced cognition, improved mood and maybe quicker running times. Professional soccer players do it regularly – along with musicians, fighters & media moguls. However, if you lack a dedicated nap-room or a job that allows daytime sleep, is it *truly* sufficient advantages to a quick nap to justify the effort? Can you find a dependable method to fall asleep fast? Plus, is it possible to really guarantee you will arise feeling refreshed, not worse?

Exploring Your Reasons for Napping

“Experts note three main reasons for napping among most adults,” notes a professor of sleep and circadian science professor. “Firstly, there's termed recovery napping, essentially the action you take when you’ve had a lack of sleep the previous night. Another is prophylactic napping, when you are pre-empting insufficient sleep ahead, such as when working graveyard shifts. Finally, there's “hedonic napping”, which basically boils down to wanting: there is a moment to nap during the day, and it's pleasant to do it.”

The first thing to do, then, is to examine why you want to nap. “Naps can be truly beneficial when night sleeping is disturbed for reasons beyond your control – for instance, when you are a parent of a newborn, or if you are healing from illness or intense exercise,” says a sleep expert. “But if you nap as your night sleep is unstable or poor, that’s often a sign your sleep drive is not at the level required. In those cases, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, not the solution. Use napping as a short-term solution for short-term problems – the focus should still be a robust and regular night’s sleep.”

The Ideal Nap Length

This means that daytime sleep shouldn’t be too extended to interfere with your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended post-3 p.m. (contingent on when you sleep at night). What's a reasonable length? Advice differs. Among the most-cited studies on the subject, researchers at Nasa discovered that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in vigilance plus a 34% rise in cognitive performance post a 26-minute snooze (to be precise, this included a six-minute long nodding-off period). “I recommend setting a timer for 20-30 minutes – many individuals are asleep quickly,” explains a specialist. “There is plenty of advice around regarding the ideal number of time, however, that can make people feel more anxious than anything – and the worst thing you can possibly do while aiming to fall asleep is to be anxious.”

If you’re going to nap for a longer period, steer clear of the period between 45 and 60 minutes that encourages sleep grogginess, that spaced-out feeling when you wake. “The science would say it’s better to opt for an extended nap of 60 to 90 minutes rather than a mid-length nap,” notes the professor. “45 minutes is enough time to put you into slow-wave sleep and you’re more likely to feel groggy upon awakening – however, if you nap for a little longer to 60 or 90 minutes, you will probably to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and will probably wake up feeling more refreshed. But if you're dozing for an hour and a half, it will affect how you sleep later that night.”

Establishing an Ideal Sleep Space

Regarding exact methodologies, recommendations vary. Certain specialists suggest using the same protocol you use to encourage quality nighttime sleep: a quiet room, a comfortable bed and maximum darkness as is feasible. Alternatively, experts propose that it's fine to merely snooze on a couch in whatever light happens to be around – both to discourage that groggy feeling and to “protect” your bed as the space your brain links with proper sleep. “Napping is quite challenging to force,” notes a specialist. “Lacking the urge to sleep, it is more challenging to recline and essentially instruct yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to start the process initially. Personally, I can often snooze during the day and naturally wake up without an alarm, though, what aids a lot of people is to look for an instance when they are naturally somewhat sleepy and calmly relax into it.”

Experimentation is key, and if your choices are limited – such as, if attempting to squeeze in a quick nap on a train or at the office – there’s nothing wrong with bringing some accessories. “When I’m working with elite athletes, I suggest that they don’t get used to sleeping in their bed, as they’re going to have|they will