Just because you feel tired doesn’t mean that you have time to sleep. Instead of just drinking a cup of coffee or taking a quick nap, you may want to try a coffee power nap.
Learn more about coffee power naps
When you take a power nap, it will usually last just 15 to 20 minutes. Sleeping for this amount of time will allow you to reach stage two sleep. It helps you deal with exhaustion and fatigue, but it will not allow you to go into a deep sleep. If a person can get a nap that last anywhere from six to 10 minutes, researchers have shown that it can improve alertness, concentration, learning, and motor performance. A full 30-minute nap can actually reverse some of the damage done by sleep deprivation and can reduce fatigue.
A coffee power nap involves drinking a caffeinated beverage, like coffee, right before taking a short nap.
Why these naps work
With a coffee power nap, the goal is to get the benefits from the caffeine and the nap at the same time. You can still fall asleep if you drink a cup of coffee. You will get the jolt of caffeine anywhere from 20 to 45 minutes after you drink it, which is a perfect space of time for you to get the benefits of a nap.
The caffeine from the drink goes from the walls of the intestate and is absorbed by your bloodstream. The molecules will travel to your brain and bind with receptors that accept adenosine. Caffeine helps you feel awake because it prevents additional adenosine from finding a binding location. Your body will naturally remove the adenosine from the receptors as you take your quick nap. This means you will wake up feeling energized and refreshed. Additionally, the caffeine will boost your metabolism.
Does it really work?
It is impossible for scientists to actually get into the human brain and measure binding rates and see the neural receptors. However, they know coffee power naps work because of the results that have been observed. Japanese researchers have observed that test subjects do better on memory tests after coffee power naps. The results of their studies have also shown that washing your face or being exposed to bright light can help you to feel even more awake. A study performed in the UK at Loughborough University showed that fewer mistakes were made by those using driving simulators after a coffee power nap.
Steps to fight mid-afternoon fatigue
1. Drink a cup of coffee or other caffeinated beverage that contains about 150 MG of caffeine. Avoid anything to the beverage, like milk or sugar. Make sure that the beverage is sugar-free if you choose to use an energy drink.
2. Use an alarm and set it for 20 minutes. Make sure that you do not allow your sleep time to go past 30 minutes. You will really only get the benefits of the coffee power nap if you sleep for this amount of time.
3. Turn out the lights or put on an eye mask and go to sleep. Even if you don’t fall completely asleep, the deep relaxation during this time can make a huge difference.
4. Get up and enjoy a boost of energy!
