Sleep and practice

[iroveashe]

I've been experimenting with different ways of approaching new passages and how something so theoretically and musically, and even technically simple can feel so awkward and clumsy the first time you try to play, at least for those of us who don't carry 10 years of experience behind our back. Following Bernhard's advices I proved that the best approach is to take a slice small enough for your mind to be able to swallow and not choke on it, let your brain digest and process it during sleep and come back to it the next day. Which means further practice on that particular part on the same day won't make much progress - that, for me at least, is true; while if I don't touch it again and play it next day, it feels twenty times more natural and effortless.

So if basically the key is sleep, because it's when your mind arranges and organizes the memory, would it be effective if one has a normal practice, then a nap, and then start practicing again as if it was the next day?

I suppose the only way to know is to try it, but I get headaches and dizzy whenever i take naps, so I thought I'd ask people's opinion first.

[Bob]

I'm all for sleep.  The more, the better.  I've noticed I can wake up and function with x-number of hours, but if I get an extra two hours, I'm really charged up, things have healed and I'm so much more alert.

[iroveashe]

If I get an extra two hours my head feels like it's been hit by a train; I feel better when I sleep less than usual than when I sleep more.

[frank_48]

chang wrote about the exact thing your talking about in his book, its called post practice improvement, very interesting read.

https://www.pianofundamentals.com/book/en/1.II.15

[iroveashe]

I've read it but I didn't remember that part. It says 'normal, over-night sleep', because REM sleep is important, so I guess that rules out naps since that is the last stage of sleep.

[iroveashe]

Stupid me just found out it takes about 20 minutes to get into REM sleep, so it is possible to go into it during a nap; but I guess no one has any knowledge about this subject anyways.