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Tune into plenty of productivity experts, and you'll be easy to believe that napping is a superpower: more than a band-aid following poor sleep, but a path to enhanced cognition, improved mood and perhaps improved athletic performance. Premier League athletes do it regularly – along with concert pianists, fighters & media moguls. But if you haven’t got a room for napping or employment that encourages frequent naps, can there *honestly* worthwhile perks to a quick nap to justify the kerfuffle? Is there a reliable way to fall asleep fast? And can you really guarantee you will get up feeling refreshed, not worse?

Exploring The Reasons for Napping

“Experts note three primary motivations for daytime sleep in the adult population,” explains an expert sleep and circadian science professor. “Firstly, there's known as recovery napping, which is what you do following poor sleep overnight. Another is pre-emptive sleep, where you are preparing for a sleep deficit in the future, such as during graveyard shifts. The third reason is “hedonic napping”, which basically boils down to desire: you have an opportunity to sleep in the daytime, and it feels nice to do it.”

The first thing to do, therefore, is consider why you want to nap. “Naps can be really helpful when nighttime sleep gets interrupted for reasons beyond your control – for instance, for a parent of a newborn, or recovering after being ill or strenuous activity,” states a sleep expert. “However, if you take a nap as your night sleep is unstable or poor, that is frequently a signal your sleep drive is not as strong as it should be. Under those circumstances, daytime sleep can turn into a contributing factor, rather than the answer. Utilize daytime sleep for brief periods for short-term problems – the priority must always be a solid and consistent night’s sleep.”

The Perfect Nap Length

Therefore that naps must not be long enough to disrupt your sleep at night, and ideally are not recommended in the late afternoon (based on the time you retire overnight). How long is sensible? Advice differs. In one of the most-cited studies about napping, researchers at Nasa noted that space travelers experienced a boost of up to 54% in attentiveness and a 34% boost in task performance following a nap of 26 minutes (to be precise, this counted a six-minute long falling asleep phase). “I recommend setting a timer for half an hour or less – many individuals are asleep in under ten minutes,” says a sleep coach. “You'll find much advice around regarding the optimal amount for sleeping, however, that can lead individuals to become more worried than anything – and the most counterproductive thing you can do when trying to get to sleep is worry about it.”

Should you decide to take an extended nap, bypass the 45 to 60 minute range that induces that sluggish feeling, that disoriented sensation when you awaken. “Research would say it’s better to take a longer nap lasting 60-90 minutes than a medium-length one,” explains the sleep scientist. “Three-quarters of an hour is long enough to put you into a deep sleep stage and you’re more likely to feel disoriented when you get up – however, if you nap for a bit longer to 60 or 90 minutes, it's likely you'll to be on the end a natural sleep cycle and are likely to awaken feeling more alert. However, if you’re sleeping for a long period, it may impact the quality of your sleep in the evening.”

Finding an Ideal Sleep Space

Regarding specific techniques, recommendations vary. Some experts suggest adopting similar routines one would use to foster a good night’s sleep: a peaceful area, a supportive surface and maximum darkness as is feasible. Others suggest that it's fine to just doze on the sofa in the existing light happens to be around – to prevent post-nap grogginess and to preserve your bedroom as the space your brain links with *real* sleep. “Sleep is something really tricky to force,” says a sleep coach. “If you don’t have the urge to sleep, it is tougher to get comfortable and essentially tell yourself to fall asleep. There’s got to be a natural inclination present to start the process in the first place. For me, it's possible to nap in broad daylight and naturally wake up without an alarm, though, what aids most folks is to wait for a moment where they feel naturally slightly tired and then simply allow sleep to come.”

Trying different approaches is valuable, and if options are scarce – such as, if attempting to fit in some shut-eye during a commute or at the office – it's acceptable with bringing some accessories. “In my work with elite athletes, I advise that they don’t get used to napping in bed, because they’re going to have|they will