Sleep
Is it more refreshing than a regular nap?
The whole concept of a coffee nap seems weird to me.
Naps are all about falling asleep.
Coffee is all about waking up.
And yet there I was, downing caffeine as I simultaneously climbed into bed and set my alarm.
The idea went viral after creator@livspeakmancalled it a god-tier nap in a 2023TikTok.
The goal, she says, is to drink some coffee before lying down to rest.
When you wake up 20 minutes later, thats when the effects of the coffee will kick in.
Heres what to know about thiscoffee-fueled nap hack.
Why Do Coffee Naps Work?
If youre battlingafternoon fatigue, Harris says it shouldnt be too hard to fall asleep within 20 minutes.
The same is true if youre asleep-deprived late-shift workeror a student pulling an all-nighter.
Short naps also allow you to take the edge off of everyday fatigue without waking up feeling worse.
Keep it short n sweet, and you should be good to go.
When adenosine accumulates throughout the day, it can make you feel extra sleepy.
In her TikTok, @livspeakman said coffee naps give your brain less to fight with once youre awake.
One word of caution?
Harris says coffee naps arent a substitute for a full nights sleep.
That said, theyre a total life-saver when youre super tired.
Overdoing it could leave you feeling jittery, rather than refreshed, she says.
While you snooze, the coffee will work its magic in your system.
This could lead to a cycle of poor sleep that might be hard to break.
At least for me.
I poured a glass of cold brew, which had about 170 milligrams of caffeine per 12 oz.
serving, sipped it for a few minutes, and hopped into bed.
It did, however, keep me energized enough to meet up with friends for a fun post-work drink.
Cheers to your next caffeine snooze.
Studies referenced:
Bjorness, TE.
(2009).Adenosine and sleep.
Centofanti, S. (2020.
)A pilot study investigating the impact of a caffeine-nap on alertness during a simulated night shift.
2020 Sep-Oct;37(9-10):1469-1473. doi: 10.1080/07420528.2020.1804922.
(2008).Comparing the benefits of caffeine, naps and placebo on verbal, motor and perceptual memory.
Brain Res Brain Res Rev.
doi: 10.1016/0165-0173(92)90012-b.
(1997).Suppression of sleepiness in drivers: combination of caffeine with a short nap.
Singh, S. (2024).Adenosine.
In: StatPearls [Internet].
Treasure Island (FL): StatPearls Publishing; 2024 Jan-.
Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK519049/.
Source:
Dr. Shelby Harris, director of sleep health atSleepopolis
