Caffeine Nap: How the Coffee-Then-Nap Trick Works and How to Do It

A caffeine nap, sometimes called a "nappuccino", means drinking a coffee and then lying down for a short nap straight away. It sounds backwards, but it's a recognised trick for sleepy drivers and has some research behind it. This guide covers how a caffeine nap works, what the studies found, how to do one step by step, who should skip it, and how to wake up on time.

The short answer: a caffeine nap works because caffeine takes around 30 minutes to start working, so you can fit a short nap in before it kicks in. The Sleep Health Foundation describes a cup of coffee followed by a nap of about 15 minutes as a good option for drowsy drivers. Small studies found the combination improved alertness and performance more than caffeine or a nap alone. Keep the nap short, do it early in the day, and remember it's a short-term fix, not a substitute for proper sleep.

How a caffeine nap works

Two things are going on at once.

• The nap. A short sleep of 15 to 30 minutes improves alertness and concentration. Longer naps are more likely to leave you groggy, because you're more likely to wake from deep sleep (source).
• The caffeine. Caffeine takes about 30 minutes to start working, according to the Sleep Health Foundation. Its levels in your blood peak 30 to 70 minutes after you drink it (source).

So if you drink a coffee and nap straight away, the caffeine starts to take effect around the time you wake. The idea is that it helps cover the brief grogginess that can follow a nap, known as sleep inertia.

What the research says

The evidence is small but consistent. A review of ways to reduce grogginess after naps summarised the main studies (source):

Study	What they did	What they found
Reyner and Horne, 1997	150 mg of caffeine plus a 15-minute nap, then a two-hour driving task	The combination was linked to better driving performance
Hayashi and colleagues, 2003	200 mg of caffeine before a 20-minute nap at 1pm	Alertness and performance improved, but the gains showed up from about 15 minutes after the nap

The review notes that in most studies caffeine was given before the nap, and each of them found improvements after the nap compared with a placebo. It also recommends keeping naps under 30 minutes to avoid waking from deep sleep.

The limits: these were small laboratory studies, not large trials, and they used set doses of caffeine. Your own result will depend on how tired you are, how much caffeine you usually have and how quickly you fall asleep.

How to do a caffeine nap

1. Pick your moment. Early afternoon is the natural low point for many people. The Sleep Health Foundation notes we often feel sleepiest around 2 to 3pm. See why am I tired after lunch.
2. Have a moderate dose of caffeine quickly. A regular coffee or shot of espresso is easier to finish fast than a large hot drink. The Sleep Health Foundation suggests up to 200 mg in a single dose for healthy adults.
3. Lie down straight away. Somewhere dark and quiet if you can.
4. Set an alarm for 15 to 20 minutes. Don't rely on the caffeine to wake you.
5. Don't worry if you only doze. Many people find quiet rest with their eyes closed still feels refreshing, and the caffeine will still start working.
6. Get up and move. A few minutes of daylight or a short walk helps you shake off any grogginess.

For drivers

The caffeine nap is best known as a drowsy-driving tool. The Sleep Health Foundation suggests that if you're drowsy on the road, you pull over somewhere safe, nap for about 15 to 20 minutes and no longer, then walk around for 5 to 10 minutes before driving on. It says caffeine may help for an hour or two (source).

Be clear about what this does. It buys you a short window, not a full night. If you're still sleepy, stop again or stop for the night. No alarm, drink or trick keeps a tired driver safe; only rest does. See drowsy driving in Australia.

Who should skip it

• Anyone who's sensitive to caffeine, or who already has a lot in a day. The Sleep Health Foundation suggests healthy adults stay under 400 mg a day.
• Late in the day. Caffeine's effects can last 3 to 7 hours, so an afternoon caffeine nap can make it harder to fall asleep that night. Sensitive people may do better with no caffeine after lunch. See caffeine and sleep.
• Pregnant people, or anyone with a heart condition or on medication that interacts with caffeine. Check with your GP or pharmacist first.
• People who need naps every day just to function. That's a sign to look at your night-time sleep, not to add more coffee. See how much sleep do I need.

When to see your GP

If you're relying on caffeine naps most days, falling asleep without meaning to, or feeling exhausted despite a full night in bed, see your GP. Ongoing daytime sleepiness can have causes worth checking, such as sleep apnoea. A nap cannot replace good quality sleep at night. This guide is general information, not medical advice.

Where the Sovune Nudge fits

We make the Sovune Nudge, a silent alarm wristband, so we're not neutral. The whole point of a caffeine nap is waking after 15 to 20 minutes, and the Nudge helps with that wherever you're napping.

• Silent. No speaker and no sound, so you can nap at work, in the car or next to a sleeping household without disturbing anyone.
• Wakes you with vibration on your wrist, starting as a gentle tap and building through three intensity levels.
• Escalating vibration for a full minute, and you can switch it off as soon as you're up from your nap.
• Three separate alarms, so a nap alarm doesn't replace your morning one.

It comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee.

Quick answers

How long should a caffeine nap be? About 15 to 20 minutes. Longer naps raise the chance of waking from deep sleep and feeling groggy.

Does a caffeine nap work with tea or an energy drink? The studies used set doses of caffeine. Any drink with a similar amount should work the same way, but strength varies a lot between drinks.

Can I do a caffeine nap at 5pm? It's likely to affect your sleep that night. Try to keep caffeine naps to the late morning or early afternoon.

Is a caffeine nap better than just coffee? Small studies found the combination beat either on its own, but neither replaces proper sleep.

For every type of silent alarm compared, see our complete guide to vibrating alarms in Australia.

See the Sovune Nudge →