Increase Your Energy, Focus & Productivity With A Caffeine Nap!
Caffeine Nap Benefits
When you're running low on energy, whether it be due to a lack of sleep or perhaps you've just hit the afternoon wall after a big lunch.
Sitting down to write a paper and finding yourself off track, sluggish and unproductive?
When these situations arise the quick fix is generally one of two things...
Coffee or a power nap.
Caffeine has been proven to assist with focus, reaction time, mental performance and physical performance in athletes.
Power naps, 20 minutes in duration or less are a fantastic way to freshen up when your energy reserves are running on empty...
Can the benefits of power naps and caffeine supplementation be combined?
Opposites Attract (Sleep & Coffee?!)
It may sound ridiculous but when we combine these two great things together we get something even better.
Power nap + coffee = caffeine nap
Drinking a coffee (or caffeinated beverage of your choice) and then immediately going to sleep for 15 - 20 minutes, known as a caffeine nap or coffee nap is the ultimate method to increase your energy, overcome writers block and increase your willpower.
The caffeine nap is a staple habit of mine when I'm struggling to write, finding myself unenthusiastic to perform my afternoon cardio or just lacking energy overall on any given day.
British scientists at Loughborough University first discovered the caffeine nap while exploring methods to combat driver sleepiness.
Participants who had both a 200mg caffeinated beverage and a nap reported better results via brainwaves measured in a driving simulator than their counterparts who had either caffeine on its on, a nap on its on, cold air or a break.
The afternoon slump experienced in offices and workplaces around the world was essentially eliminated by the caffeine nap combo.
How To Successfully Have A Caffeine Nap
Before you start your caffeinated naps be sure you're setting yourself up for success, it's easy to sabotage your productivity and energy with incorrect timing, nap length or caffeine dosage... the steps below are exactly how I'm able to have successful, productive caffeine naps every time.
Choose A Suitable Power Nap Place
Find a quiet relaxing spot that'll subject you to minimal disruptions. I recommend using a sleep mask if you're stuck at work or at an airport etc.
If you're at home your bed or an armchair will suffice.
Pick Your (Caffeinated) Poison
Not a coffee drinker? No problems! Choose your energy drink of choice or pop a caffeine pill if you're not into those either.
Studies performed on the caffeine nap were using a caffeine dosage of 200mg, if you're particularly sensitive to caffeine you may be able to reap the full benefits of the caffeine nap with a smaller dose, or if you've got quite a high tolerance to stimulants like myself a slightly higher dosage may be required.
The key here is to ensure you're not consuming a large amount of fats or simple carbohydrates when choosing your coffee or energy drink.
You'll ideally be opting for a black coffee or a sugar free energy drink as the simple carbohydrates (sugar) in sweetened coffee or energy drinks could potentially stop you from falling asleep for your nap.
Set Your Alarm For 20 Minutes
20 minutes is the longest you should be having your power nap for. When it comes to power napping the common mistake is to opt for a slightly longer nap - this will leave you feeling worse than a shorter nap! 15 - 20 minutes is enough time to give you a refreshing boost of energy and morale, any longer and you begin to enter a deeper sleep - interrupting yourself from this deep sleep with your alarm will leave you feeling groggy and even more tired than before you napped!
Get To Work!
Don't hit snooze and allow yourself to go back to sleep (as I mentioned above you'll feel worse coming out of a longer sleep). At this point your 200mg+ of caffeine should begin kicking in and you'll be energized and fresh, ready to get shit done.
