What is a coffee nap?
Have you heard about coffee naps? I promise that I didn’t make this up, it’s a real thing. A coffee nap is as simple as it sounds— you drink a cup of coffee and then take a quick power nap (15-20 minutes is ideal but no longer than 30).
When I first heard about this, I was confused.
Coffee and naps are two of my favorite things, but aren’t you supposed to choose one or the other?
Coffee to wake you up or a nap to give you a quick rest?
Nope— scientists have found that these two things actually work better when they’re together.
People feel more rested and alert after taking a coffee nap than they do from simply drinking a cup of coffee or taking a nap without the caffeine beforehand. How ridiculous AND amazing is that?
Not buying it?
Need some proof?
I hear ya. My husband’s reaction was somewhere along the lines of “Scientists will say anything, won’t they?”
It’s natural for us to be skeptical of anything that sounds too good to be true. Here are some the studies that have done that you can check out for yourself:
- Coffee naps improve alertness in drivers more than caffeine by itself
- Coffee naps prove more effective at fighting afternoon sleepiness than naps + face washing or naps + bright light exposure
- Coffee naps are shown to be more effective than napping alone
How do coffee naps work?
You might think that ingesting caffeine would make falling asleep difficult. Caffeine doesn’t work instantly though. It takes about 20-30 minutes for your body to feel the effects of your coffee intake. So, it’s important to limit your nap time to about 20 minutes.
The science behind why coffee naps work is a little complicated for non-scientific people like me, but I’ll paraphrase: A byproduct of our brain activity is a molecule called adenosine. Adenosine fits into receptors in our brain.
When there’s too much adenosine, we feel tired. Caffeine comes into our brains and fights for spots in these same receptors, essentially blocking adenosine and stopping us from feeling tired. Sleeping naturally clears adenosine from these receptors.
So, by sleeping while coffee is making its way through our digestive system and up to our brains, we’re clearing a path in our brains for the caffeine to be more effective.
That’s why we end up feeling more energized and alert after coffee napping. Tada!
Why Coffee Naps Are a Mom’s New Best Friend
So, as if the news that coffee + naps = magic wasn’t good enough, here’s more. Coffee naps are absolutely perfect for busy moms for a few reasons:
1. Moms are notoriously sleep-deprived.
Moms are notoriously sleep-deprived beings. It begins in pregnancy when you start waking up multiple times in the night to pee or re-adjust. Then we wake up throughout the nights with newborns, toddlers, and sick or scared kids for years to come.
I can’t think of another segment of the population that could use a nap more than mothers. When getting a full night’s sleep just isn’t an option for you, Momma, try implementing a daytime coffee nap!
2. Moms need to be productive.
Whether you’re a working mom or a stay-at-home mom, we don’t have the luxury of days off. We have to feed the kids, clean the house, grocery shop, run errands, pay the bills, do the laundry, plan birthday parties, wash the dishes… It doesn’t matter how tired we are, we’ve gotta do what we’ve gotta do.
But imagine if you could take 20-30 minutes out of your day to take a coffee nap and suddenly be more energized to tackle that to-do list. What if those 20 minutes made you more productive and more patient (because you don’t feel so darn exhausted)?
The “mombie” version of us isn’t fun, for us or for our families.
3. Moms usually don’t have time to sip and enjoy their coffee anyway.
I genuinely LOVE coffee and I want every cup to last forever. But I rarely get to savor every little sip like I wish I could. The good news is that this works in our favor in this area. Coffee naps require you to drink your coffee pretty quickly.
If you sip on your coffee slowly, then you may be drinking that last drop 30 minutes after you started, which allows some of the caffeine to get to your brain before you can get to sleep. So, down that coffee fast, Momma!
4. Even busy moms can usually sneak in a 20-minute nap
Moms are some of busiest people on the planet, but even us business-owning, multiple-kids-with-multiple-extracurricular-activities moms can sneak in a 20-minute nap now and then. My kids are still young, so I can’t just nap while on the job unless they are right there with me.
Sometimes, I’ll turn on a quick episode of Sofia the First (or another Netflix option) and cuddle them so that I can get my power nap in. They are generally content to be still for 20 minutes if they’re sufficiently entertained. Good thing is, 20 minutes is all I need!
If your kids are older and more self-reliant, tell them that you need a quick nap to feel rested and be your best. Hopefully, they’ll understand that you’re taking care of yourself and they’ll learn that it’s important for them to do the same.
If you want some help with managing mom life, check out this post: 10 Habits that Keep Me Well and Balanced as a Mom
But what if I’m tired all the time?
As much as this has been fun to write about, if you are truly chronically exhausted, you should attempt to get more sleep and monitor your nutrition. A coffee nap is a fun solution on occasion.
If you find yourself needing naps to make it through every day, then something needs to change. Start by tracking the amount of sleep you get and keeping a food/water journal. Then, talk to your doctor and see what you can come up with together.
So, what do you think? Will you give coffee naps a try? Share in the comments below!
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31 Comments
Nipa
I would have NEVER put these two things together. My kids are school age, so I really should have time to nap, but life is still so busy that I find myself powering through. Will give this a try! Nipa @fashionipa
Mandy
It’s a match made in Heaven! You’ll love it! 🙂
Mary Ambrose
Very good advice for any mom
Mandy
Thank you, Mary!
Beth
Who knew! I am no longer a Mother who is sleep-deprived but I am as a blogger! I’m going to give this a try! Thanks for this enlightening post!
Mandy
It works for everyone! I hope you love it! 😉
Katy
Interesting! My “coffee nap” is enjoying my warm cup of coffee while my kids nap.
Mandy
If that recharges you, that’s awesome! If you’re extra tired one day, try a quick power nap after that coffee and see how you feel 🙂
Kendra
Coffee+nap= surprise! I never would have thought this was a thing. But it makes sense. Chug that coffee and rest for 20. I am definitely going to give this a try on the next day where mom life is real!
Mandy
We all have those days, right?
Danielle
I have never heard of this before, but am SO excited to give it a try! This is exactly the little trick I needed to give my regular evening cup of coffee that extra jolt! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Mandy
You’re welcome, Danielle! Enjoy it!
Laura
Thanks Mandy! I will be giving this a try when my grand kids start coming! Where were you 25 years ago!!!!
Mandy
Better now than never, right?! Enjoy!!
Dani
I am not yet a mother but i do this every single day of my life and yes, the best tging ever. 🙂
Mandy
Absolutely!
Saaha
I love coffee but I’m not much of a napper. It doesn’t matter how tired I am, my brain is usually too busy to nap.
Mandy
It would be tricky if you couldn’t get to sleep quickly enough. Maybe on a day that you’re exceptionally tired.
Emily
Even though I’m not a mom, coffee naps have saved me all through college and my full time job! Who knew they’d be useful across all life stages?!
Mandy
Yes!! Anytime you need a burst!
Troy
Anything coffee sounds interesting.
I’m trying this asap
Mandy
I agree…all the coffee! Enjoy!!
Meagan
I want to try this. Hopefully soon!
Mandy
You’ll love it!!
Ramona Curtis
O meed to try this.
Sondra
I’m not a Mom, but I’m a night shift 911 Dispatcher and I’m here for this combo! I almost never drink coffee at work, but a little bit when I get home in the morning or on nights off when I can’t sleep always does the trick!!
Kimmy Ripley (Give It A Whirl Girl)
Well now I am intrigued! Never heard of a coffee nap!
Mandy
Give it a whirl 😉
Lauren
oh my goodness….I need to try this! Even though as a fellow blogger…baby nap times are my writing times 😉
Jennice
OMG! This is thevgreatest thing ever! My 7 month old son takes a midmorning nap around an hour after I’ve dropped jis sisyer off at school. I usually am having my 2nd cuppa at tht time sk I definitely gojng to try this and spread the word kn my blog! Thanks for the hack!
Ashley
I do this all the time! I thought it was just some weird quirk only I did! I will even drink coffee before bed and find I wake up easier and more rested than I do if I do not drink coffee. My husband thinks I am insane for this. I am glad I am not alone!