Ever Heard Of A 'Coffee Nap'? It Could Make You Even More Productive And Energized

Alex Frankelstarted 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.