Methods and apparatus for adaptively adjusting temporal parameters (e.g., neighbor cell search durations). In one embodiment, neighbor cell search durations during discontinuous reception are based on a physical channel metric indicating signal strength and quality (e.g. Reference Signal Received Power (RSRP), Received Signal Strength Indication (RSSI), Reference Signal Receive Quality (RSRQ), etc.) of a cell. In a second embodiment, neighbor cell search durations are based on a multitude of physical layer metrics from one or more cells. In one variant, the multitude of physical layer metrics may include signal strength and quality metrics from the serving base station as well as signal strength and quality indicators from neighbor cells derived from the cells respective synchronization sequences.