Caffeine and sleep may seem like opposites, but there may be a benefit to combining them.
The “napuccino” has become a popular method to optimize sleep and wake up with more energy by drinking a caffeinated beverage before lying down for a nap.
In a recent episode of “The Diary of a CEO” podcast with Steven Bartlett, Dr. Cheri Mah, a sleep expert in Redwood City, California, touted the napuccino as a “helpful tool if you’re trying to get a moderate boost in alertness and performance.”
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According to Mah, a napuccino requires drinking a caffeinated beverage of your choice before taking a 20- to 30-minute nap.
Caffeine will start to take effect 15 minutes after consumption.
A nap is a caffeine-filled drink before a nap with the goal of waking up feeling more energized. (iStock)
“If you can fall asleep in five to 10 minutes, while the caffeine is starting to take effect, then by the time you wake up in 20 to 30 minutes…the caffeine will have taken effect,” she said.
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Research has shown that the energy from both caffeine and napping is “more effective at improving alertness and performance for a few hours,” compared to just consuming caffeine or napping alone, Mah said.
Fox News Digital has reached out to Mah for additional comment.
“By the time you wake up from your nap (20 to 30 minutes), the caffeine is kicking in.”
Clinical psychologist Kelly Baron, Ph.D., director of the Behavioral Sleep Medicine Lab at the University of Utah, described the napuccino as a “really great, scientifically tested technique.”
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“Having a little caffeine and taking a little nap is better than taking either of those two medications alone,” she told Fox News Digital.
“By the time you wake up from your nap (20 to 30 minutes), the caffeine is kicking in.”
A sleep specialist confirmed that having a little caffeine and taking a short nap is “better than taking either one alone.” (iStock)
This method has been tested with certain activities, such as driving and shift work, Baron noted.
“Short naps with or without caffeine are proven techniques to improve performance in people who experience sleepiness,” she said.
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According to the expert, the ideal is to sleep seven to nine hours a night, but this can be difficult for some people.
“Drinking coffee with lots of added sugar or high-calorie creamers can negate some of the potential health benefits,” one expert warned. (iStock)
Ilana Muhlstein, a registered dietitian and nutritionist based in Los Angeles, agreed that napuccino can be a “great strategy for boosting alertness,” but also noted that it’s important to consider how people prepare their coffee.
“Drinking coffee with lots of added sugar or high-calorie creamers can offset some of the effects…
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