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Can someone explain the mechanics of things like how caffeine naps work? I never understand how people are supposed to implement these things, it always seems l

Can someone explain the mechanics of things like how caffeine naps work? I never understand how people are supposed to implement these things, it always seems like they just assume you will fall asleep instantly. For example, they say you should drink a coffee and then immediately take a 20 min nap. Seriously? It takes me 5-15min to fall asleep at night, let alone during the day. At a minimum this seems like a 45 min ordeal.

wavefunction 9y ago
Probably you wait until you're drowsy after lunch, intake caffeine, nap from your drowsiness and then wake up when the caffeine hits. I don't know, genetically and functionally I'm a fast metabolizer of caffeine so I can drink energy drinks and go to sleep after a bit (15-20 minutes or so) of laying in the dark.
awillimus 9y ago
I found that after a few weeks of trying to take 20 minute naps after lunch I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly. One thing I read at the time said that even if you don't fall asleep during the 20 minutes, you still get some of the benefits. I think napping sort of taught me how to fall asleep quickly.
- eight_ender 9y ago
  This is the key. If you don't worry about actually falling asleep, and accept that even just lying down is going to be a benefit, you'll find yourself falling asleep more often than not. I do a 20 minute nap every day after work and it makes me new again. Just a great transition from working me to home me.
bradknowles 9y ago
It takes me at least an hour to go to sleep at night, and it has done so since I was a very little kid. Caffeine intake is not correlated, because there have been plenty of times when I hadn't had caffeine for weeks, months, or even years, and yet this pattern has not changed. Not everyone reacts the same to these kinds of drugs, and not everyone can participate in the manner suggested.
- aklemm 9y ago
  How old are you? I had the same problem as a kid...first 20 years, really. Then I started 40+ hours/week and cramming stuff into my nights so soon I was so tired I was able to go to sleep very quickly. Then 10-15 years later I added kids to the mix, and now I can go to sleep basically on-demand any time of day. Power naps are critical; coffee and knock off for 20 minutes. Feel alive after.
  - lazyasciiart 9y ago
    I don't know about that poster, but I'm mid 30's and definitely still lie awake while thinking about how tired I'm going to be in the morning.
    - bjelkeman-again 9y ago
      Physical excersise in the evening works for me. Knocks me out cold when I get home.
      - kbutler 9y ago
        Physical exercise earlier in the day helps me sleep at night, vigorous exercise less than 4-6 hours before bed keeps me awake.
      - ambicapter 9y ago
        Depends on what kind of exercise for me. Lifting and I can sleep. Running and I'm wired.
      - lazyasciiart 9y ago
        Hasn't really worked for me - I hate mornings so I have traditionally worked out in the evenings anyway (although by coincidence I'm now trying morning workouts as a way to wake up!). This comment brought to you courtesy of the 4+ hours I spent awake in bed last night :(
  - olau 9y ago
calsy 9y ago
The idea is not to go into full sleep mode. Put your phone away, lie down, relax your body and close your eyes. The act of resting for say 20 minutes is enough to put a spring in your step for the rest of the day.
dec0dedab0de 9y ago
I had to practice falling asleep quickly. a trick that works for me is to close my eyes and start to imagine something dreamlike. Hopefully it spins out to a full dream. Even better if I stay lucid.
pronoiac 9y ago
"The reason it works so well is because it takes around 20 minutes for the body to respond to the effects of caffeine. By taking a short nap immediately after consumption, the stimulant effect kicks in just as you are waking up. Not only will you feel revived from your power nap, you’ll also have the added benefit of the caffeine boost." - https://sleepjunkies.com/tips/the-caffeine-nap/ https://sleepjunkies.com/tips/the-caffeine-nap/
dawnerd 9y ago
Used to be the same until I started flying a lot and having to take advantage of every minute I can to sleep. 6am flights with a night owl schedule just don't mix. Also have gotten really good at sleeping sitting up.
Steve44 9y ago
> It takes me 5-15min to fall asleep at night, let alone during the day I'm very similar but have found that using Beats Brainwave Entrainment I can get a solid 15 minutes deep relaxation. Just get in a comfy chair where you won't be interrupted, pop your headphones on and listen. I've no comment at all about the science etc behind the Brainwave Entrainment, I just use it as a good method to get a catnap. I'll sometimes set the alarm for 20-25 minutes just in case I go off to proper sleep but find I usually wake when the sounds stop.
DiThi 9y ago
It's a skill like any other. To acquire it, the most important part is consistency. E.g. Always reserve 30 minutes, 5 to prepare the environment (close window, ensure napping place, put sleep mask, earplugs, etc), 25 for the nap itself. After alarm goes off never try to sleep more. Esp. when you do fall asleep on the last 5 minutes, it is too tempting to say "let's add another 20 minutes" but that won't do any good to get the habit and skill. The brain must eventually realize it's nap time (preparation actions are the cues for starting), and that only has a very limited amount of time to actually nap.
- Cthulhu_ 9y ago
  Note that the preparations are useful for evening / night sleep too, and it's advised for children too to have a routine / ritual. Still helps for adults.
  - Moru 9y ago
    Also note that all this does not work for everyone.
Chris2048 9y ago
There are things that can help. Be both physically and mentally active during the day (mentally can also mean concentration. hours of driving is mentally draining) Take a warm bath - cooling down will make you sleepy (but only in that 10 min window) reduce bright lights, and blue lights (light containing blue, sky-toned blues, like strip lights or mobile phones) in favor of mellow-red tones. Blue cones make you more alert, reds make you sleepier. reduce bright lights overall as you approach bed-time. Keep an eye on you foods, not just caffeine. sugar, slow and fast, and it's effect on blood-sugar [1]. eating can help wake you up when you get sluggish, but digesting can also* make you sluggish.. be comfy - quiet room at right temperature etc. Make your place of sleep a dedicated sleeping place, to strengthen association - do not work in or near the bed or in the bedroom, or browse or use you phone.. Of course, many of these do not help you take midday micro-naps. I the only thing I can think of is something I haven't really tried with success: Clear your busy mind, via meditation.. Of course, it is supposed that doing this can relieve stress even if you don't actually sleep. I'm not really sure how micro-naps work. breaking your average sleep cycle (90 mins long) will make you feel terrible, so I assume a nap isn't a proper sleep cycle? Perhaps an after-work (~7pm) nap at home, to help after-work grogginess would be easier and more convenient? [1] It'd be nice if I could easily monitor my blood sugar, adrenaline, concentration etc, in order to see the impact of coffee, sugar etc on myself..
osrec 9y ago
It helps if you're exhausted, otherwise it can quickly become frustrating. I find taking a long-ish walk (c. 30 mins) really helps burn off any residual anxiety and slows me down enough to fall asleep easily. Also, keeping your phone/tablet physically far away helps to cut out distractions.
turbografx16 9y ago
I love coffee naps myself, and I've found that even if I don't fall asleep completely I still end up feeling extremely refreshed. If you have half an hour to experiment with it, I think you'll get a lot out of it.

wavefunction 9y ago

Probably you wait until you're drowsy after lunch, intake caffeine, nap from your drowsiness and then wake up when the caffeine hits. I don't know, genetically and functionally I'm a fast metabolizer of caffeine so I can drink energy drinks and go to sleep after a bit (15-20 minutes or so) of laying in the dark.

awillimus 9y ago

I found that after a few weeks of trying to take 20 minute naps after lunch I was able to fall asleep pretty quickly. One thing I read at the time said that even if you don't fall asleep during the 20 minutes, you still get some of the benefits. I think napping sort of taught me how to fall asleep quickly.

eight_ender 9y ago
This is the key. If you don't worry about actually falling asleep, and accept that even just lying down is going to be a benefit, you'll find yourself falling asleep more often than not. I do a 20 minute nap every day after work and it makes me new again. Just a great transition from working me to home me.

bradknowles 9y ago

It takes me at least an hour to go to sleep at night, and it has done so since I was a very little kid. Caffeine intake is not correlated, because there have been plenty of times when I hadn't had caffeine for weeks, months, or even years, and yet this pattern has not changed. Not everyone reacts the same to these kinds of drugs, and not everyone can participate in the manner suggested.

aklemm 9y ago
How old are you? I had the same problem as a kid...first 20 years, really. Then I started 40+ hours/week and cramming stuff into my nights so soon I was so tired I was able to go to sleep very quickly. Then 10-15 years later I added kids to the mix, and now I can go to sleep basically on-demand any time of day. Power naps are critical; coffee and knock off for 20 minutes. Feel alive after.
- lazyasciiart 9y ago
  I don't know about that poster, but I'm mid 30's and definitely still lie awake while thinking about how tired I'm going to be in the morning.
  - bjelkeman-again 9y ago
    Physical excersise in the evening works for me. Knocks me out cold when I get home.
    - kbutler 9y ago
      Physical exercise earlier in the day helps me sleep at night, vigorous exercise less than 4-6 hours before bed keeps me awake.
    - ambicapter 9y ago
      Depends on what kind of exercise for me. Lifting and I can sleep. Running and I'm wired.
    - lazyasciiart 9y ago
      Hasn't really worked for me - I hate mornings so I have traditionally worked out in the evenings anyway (although by coincidence I'm now trying morning workouts as a way to wake up!). This comment brought to you courtesy of the 4+ hours I spent awake in bed last night :(
- olau 9y ago

calsy 9y ago

The idea is not to go into full sleep mode. Put your phone away, lie down, relax your body and close your eyes. The act of resting for say 20 minutes is enough to put a spring in your step for the rest of the day.

dec0dedab0de 9y ago

I had to practice falling asleep quickly. a trick that works for me is to close my eyes and start to imagine something dreamlike. Hopefully it spins out to a full dream. Even better if I stay lucid.

pronoiac 9y ago

"The reason it works so well is because it takes around 20 minutes for the body to respond to the effects of caffeine. By taking a short nap immediately after consumption, the stimulant effect kicks in just as you are waking up. Not only will you feel revived from your power nap, you’ll also have the added benefit of the caffeine boost." - https://sleepjunkies.com/tips/the-caffeine-nap/ https://sleepjunkies.com/tips/the-caffeine-nap/

dawnerd 9y ago

Used to be the same until I started flying a lot and having to take advantage of every minute I can to sleep. 6am flights with a night owl schedule just don't mix. Also have gotten really good at sleeping sitting up.

Steve44 9y ago

> It takes me 5-15min to fall asleep at night, let alone during the day I'm very similar but have found that using Beats Brainwave Entrainment I can get a solid 15 minutes deep relaxation. Just get in a comfy chair where you won't be interrupted, pop your headphones on and listen. I've no comment at all about the science etc behind the Brainwave Entrainment, I just use it as a good method to get a catnap. I'll sometimes set the alarm for 20-25 minutes just in case I go off to proper sleep but find I usually wake when the sounds stop.

DiThi 9y ago

It's a skill like any other. To acquire it, the most important part is consistency. E.g. Always reserve 30 minutes, 5 to prepare the environment (close window, ensure napping place, put sleep mask, earplugs, etc), 25 for the nap itself. After alarm goes off never try to sleep more. Esp. when you do fall asleep on the last 5 minutes, it is too tempting to say "let's add another 20 minutes" but that won't do any good to get the habit and skill. The brain must eventually realize it's nap time (preparation actions are the cues for starting), and that only has a very limited amount of time to actually nap.

Cthulhu_ 9y ago
Note that the preparations are useful for evening / night sleep too, and it's advised for children too to have a routine / ritual. Still helps for adults.
- Moru 9y ago
  Also note that all this does not work for everyone.

Chris2048 9y ago

There are things that can help. Be both physically and mentally active during the day (mentally can also mean concentration. hours of driving is mentally draining) Take a warm bath - cooling down will make you sleepy (but only in that 10 min window) reduce bright lights, and blue lights (light containing blue, sky-toned blues, like strip lights or mobile phones) in favor of mellow-red tones. Blue cones make you more alert, reds make you sleepier. reduce bright lights overall as you approach bed-time. Keep an eye on you foods, not just caffeine. sugar, slow and fast, and it's effect on blood-sugar [1]. eating can help wake you up when you get sluggish, but digesting can also* make you sluggish.. be comfy - quiet room at right temperature etc. Make your place of sleep a dedicated sleeping place, to strengthen association - do not work in or near the bed or in the bedroom, or browse or use you phone.. Of course, many of these do not help you take midday micro-naps. I the only thing I can think of is something I haven't really tried with success: Clear your busy mind, via meditation.. Of course, it is supposed that doing this can relieve stress even if you don't actually sleep. I'm not really sure how micro-naps work. breaking your average sleep cycle (90 mins long) will make you feel terrible, so I assume a nap isn't a proper sleep cycle? Perhaps an after-work (~7pm) nap at home, to help after-work grogginess would be easier and more convenient? [1] It'd be nice if I could easily monitor my blood sugar, adrenaline, concentration etc, in order to see the impact of coffee, sugar etc on myself..

osrec 9y ago

It helps if you're exhausted, otherwise it can quickly become frustrating. I find taking a long-ish walk (c. 30 mins) really helps burn off any residual anxiety and slows me down enough to fall asleep easily. Also, keeping your phone/tablet physically far away helps to cut out distractions.

turbografx16 9y ago

I love coffee naps myself, and I've found that even if I don't fall asleep completely I still end up feeling extremely refreshed. If you have half an hour to experiment with it, I think you'll get a lot out of it.