What Is A ‘Coffee Nap’?

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?

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.”

“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.

For optimal results, Sullivan recommended avoiding coffee naps too close to bedtime.

“Aim for midday naps or those at least six hours before sleep. For example, if you typically go to bed at 10 p.m., avoid napping after 4 p.m.,” she said.

If this doesn’t align with your schedule, coffee naps are probably not a good idea for you because they may interfere with your ability to fall asleep.

Sullivan also recommended being consistent with your nap time.

“Identify your natural midday slump and schedule your coffee nap accordingly. For instance, if you’re most tired after lunch,” take a coffee nap “an hour later,” she said.

For a coffee nap to be effective, you should “limit naps to 30 minutes or less,” Sullivan said. That’s because “longer naps can cause grogginess and disrupt your sleep drive,” she noted. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, caffeine absorption takes approximately 15-45 minutes.

According to Ploesser, for most people “a 20-minute nap coincides well with the onset of caffeine’s effects.” However, Sullivan said that because “individual metabolisms and caffeine content in coffee can vary,” you may need to experiment with napping a little longer or shorter if you don’t feel refreshed.

Sullivan recommended starting with a 20-minute coffee nap and adjusting your nap time by 5 or 10 minutes “to find the optimal balance.” She added that “consistency with your coffee choice helps maintain a stable caffeine level” and helps ensure that coffee naps continue to work.

For the best results, Ploesser said that you should drink the coffee relatively quickly and suggested downing a cup in 5 to 10 minutes.

“The goal is to ensure that the caffeine starts getting absorbed while you’re napping so that its effects kick in right around the time you wake up,” he said. “Drinking it too slowly could delay caffeine absorption and reduce the effectiveness of the coffee nap.”

Ploesser also suggested not overdoing it.

“The ideal amount of coffee for a coffee nap is typically around one standard 8-ounce cup,” he said. “This amount is generally sufficient to block adenosine receptors and boost alertness without overwhelming your system.”

However, he noted that this is a balancing act because individual tolerance to caffeine can vary. If an 8-ounce cup isn’t working because it’s either not giving you a boost or it’s making you too jittery, you may need to adjust how much coffee you drink before your coffee nap.

“Consuming too much caffeine might make it harder to fall asleep for the nap, while too little might not provide the desired wakefulness boost when you wake up,” Ploesser said.

Although Frankel drinks black coffee for his naps, using sugar and milk is fine if you can’t stomach the taste. Adding sugar and milk “might slightly slow down the absorption of caffeine, but it’s unlikely to have a significant impact on the overall effectiveness of a coffee nap,” Ploessner said.

“The primary concern would be if the added sugar leads to a sugar crash or if the additional calories are a concern for your diet,” he noted.

According to Sullivan, before trying a coffee nap, you should “consider your overall caffeine consumption.” If you already drink a lot of coffee, it can be hard to stick to the recommended 400 milligrams of caffeine per day.

“Caffeine content varies between beans and brew methods, so be mindful of your daily total,” Sullivan said. Exceeding the recommended amount of caffeine per day “can lead to disrupted sleep, increased heart rate, elevated blood pressure, frequent urination, headaches and anxiety,” she added.

If you regularly drink four cups of coffee a day, Sullivan said you should “consider saving one for a potential coffee nap instead of adding a fifth.” Similarly, for those who drink fewer than four cups of coffee a day, Sullivan recommended not drinking more coffee. Instead, she suggested splitting up your regular caffeine dose to three-fourths in the morning and one-fourth before a coffee nap.

You don’t necessarily need to drink coffee to get the benefits of a coffee nap.

“Coffee naps could work with any caffeinated beverage, as long as the caffeine dose is sufficient and the beverage is consumed quickly enough,” Ploessner said. “Energy drinks, tea or even caffeinated sodas could be used, but keep in mind that different beverages have varying amounts of caffeine, which might affect the timing and effectiveness of the nap.”

Sullivan said coffee naps are safe for most adults as long as they don’t drink more than 400 mg of caffeine, or about four cups of coffee a day. However, she cautioned that “pregnant, breastfeeding and those trying to conceive should consult their doctors for guidance, typically aiming for less than 200 mg of caffeine daily.”

Sullivan added that although there are no specific guidelines in the United States regarding teens and caffeine, “they should limit their intake,” and children under 12 should avoid caffeine altogether.

Ploesser cautioned that those with anxiety disorders, insomnia or heart conditions may experience adverse effects like jitteriness, palpitations or difficulty falling asleep at bedtime.

Additionally, Sullivan said, “Certain medical conditions or medications may mean that no amount of caffeine use is safe or that you should strictly limit your caffeine intake.”

As a result, Sullivan recommended consulting your doctor if you are considering incorporating coffee naps into your day.

Although “coffee naps can be a useful tool for boosting alertness” and are safe for most people, Ploesser cautioned that “they shouldn’t replace regular, restorative sleep.” He also said that “overreliance on coffee naps might mask underlying sleep issues, so it’s important to prioritize good sleep hygiene and address any sleep disturbances you may have.”

Moreover, even if coffee naps work at first, Ploesser said that over time, you may need more caffeine to achieve the same results. This could potentially lead to issues like “increased heart rate, anxiety or disrupted sleep patterns,” he said, adding that “moderation is key.”