Scientists have newly discovered an ef­ficient method to maximize alertness. The process is quite simple. Step one: drink cof­fee, and do so quickly. Step two: sleep for 15-20 minutes.

The combination of power nap and a good cup of coffee seems unreal, since it is almost impossible to fall asleep under the influence of caffeine. So what is the loophole? Sleep before the caffeine hits and wake up when it does.

According to CNN news, caffeine is usu­ally absorbed in the small intestine of the body, which it travels through the blood­stream and up into the brain. The caffeine speeds up the nerve cells, causing the body to feel that burst of energy after drinking coffee. The down side of this entire process is that there is a 20-minute delay before the caffeine actually begins to work. Now here is where the nap comes in. Not only does the nap clear the body of adenosine for the caffeine to work more efficiently, but also gives a sudden burst of energy, energy not obtained from coffee alone.

Major studies have been done this new coffee nap method since the early 2000’s. As stated by Research Gate, researchers at the Loughborough University of England conducted an experiment the coffee naps by allowing subjects to have 150 mg of caffeine in their coffee, and a 15-minute nap. The combination of the coffee and nap not only reduced subjects’ sleepiness when they were placed a driving simulation, but also maxi­mized their alertness while driving, causing them to make fewer errors. According to Clinical Neurophysiology, a health research website, another study was done the Hi­roshima University in Japan, which adults were given 200 mg of caffeine, followed by a 20-minute nap. The results concluded that subjects who took a coffee nap performed significantly better on memory tests com­pared to those who did not.

High school can be time of staying up late due to the amount of tests and home­work given. Sometimes just having caf­feine is not enough to pull an all-nighter. If students are already staying up late do­ing homework and studying, these coffee naps are a more efficient way for them to maximize their focus and alertness. As this method gains popularity, more students will be willing to attempt these coffee naps for their academic needs.