For and against

Sleeping habits vary from person to person. What is ideal for one rider may not suit another. I spoke to two young racers – both of whom train 15-20 hours per week and aim for eight to 10 hours’ sleep a night – about their views on napping.

THE HABITUAL NAPPER

For CW Fitness Project participant Callum Mcqueen, from Hampshire, a 20- to 30-minute nap after lunch is a regular part of his daily routine.

“It’s really refreshing to have a nap after training,” he said. “It means I’m fully awake for the rest of the day.”

Although he naps in an ‘appetitive’ way for enhanced recovery, Mcqueen’s approach is not to force a nap. “I don’t pressure myself to sleep, and there are times when I skip napping – but if I can fit one in, I will.”

The 20-year-old, who races for Upshift Nutrition RT, has found no problem with sleeping following afternoon naps. “I can fall asleep in the evening without any problem.”

THE NON-NAPPER

Dan Martin, 21, from Kent, gets by sleeping only at night. The University of Derby racer gave napping a go, but found it did not suit him.

“When I tried having naps, I’d wake up feeling worse for an hour or so, as if I was ill,” Martin told CW.

Napping does not fit in with the structure of Martin’s days. “I’m not an early morning person,” Martin said – he regularly leaves for his training rides at 11am each day. “If I then had a nap, I’d have no chance to do anything else with my day, which would be wasteful.”

Napping is not for everyone, but it is worth experimenting to see if it works for you. Taking a five-minute reset is a flexible way of gaining some of the same benefits.