It Could Make You Even More Productive And Energized. In some people, it can enhance wakefulness. In others, it may not be such a great idea.
Oct 3, 2024, 03:00 AM EDT
Alex Frankel started taking coffee naps when he was in college.
“I used to drink so much coffee all day, but it never really helped me feel less tired. If anything, I just felt more jittery and stressed,” he said.
Then, a classmate who grew up in Europe told him that if he drank a cup of coffee and napped for 20 minutes, he would wake up feeling refreshed, just as the caffeine hit his system. Napping while waiting for the caffeine to take effect “allows for a double boost, a double whammy of energy,” Frankel said.
Frankel is no longer in college but still has long days juggling multiple responsibilities as a model, music teacher and the founder of Hot Fat Guy Club, an organization dedicated to empowering “fat, big & tall, cis, trans, and non-binary men, and the people that love them” and encouraging “joy and self-acceptance,” according to the organization’s website.
Several times a week he makes a double shot of espresso on ice, drinks it in two sips, and then falls asleep for 20 minutes. He usually takes a coffee nap in the middle of the day before transitioning from one task to another. Frankel is not alone in singing the praises of coffee naps — but do they work?
What Is A Coffee Nap?
A coffee nap is a short nap taken immediately after consuming caffeine to combine the benefits of rest and alertness, explained Dr. Keisha Sullivan, a pulmonologist and sleep specialist at Kaiser Permanente in Maryland.
According to Dr. Markus Ploesser, an integrative medicine physician at Open Mind Health with expertise in longevity and sleep, coffee naps typically last about 20 minutes.
“The idea is that by the time you wake up, the caffeine will have started to kick in, enhancing the nap’s refreshing effects,” he said. “Proponents claim that this combination can boost energy and alertness more effectively than either a nap or coffee alone.”
Do Coffee Naps Work?
“Research and anecdotal evidence suggest that coffee naps can be effective in boosting alertness and cognitive performance,” according to Ploesser. He explained that “the theory is that napping helps clear adenosine, a neurotransmitter that promotes sleep and accumulates during wakefulness, from your brain. As caffeine takes effect, it blocks adenosine receptors, preventing the buildup of sleep pressure and thereby enhancing wakefulness.”
However, Sullivan cautioned that “there is very limited research on coffee naps.” She acknowledged that coffee naps work well for some people but said that they won’t work for everyone. “You will know it’s working for you if you feel more productive or more energetic after your nap,” she said. If you don’t feel better after a coffee nap, “this is not a good tool for you,” she added.
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