When you’re running low on energy and you need to power through a day, it’s tempting to reach for that 13th cup of coffee; but what you really should do is drink that coffee and take a 20 minute nap:

It might sound crazy: conventional wisdom is that caffeine interferes with sleep. But if you caffeinate immediately before napping and sleep for 20 minutes or less, you can exploit a quirk in the way both sleep and caffeine affect your brain to maximize alertness.

The article goes on to explain the science behind the claim, which is pretty fascinating. Basically, it boils down to getting the neurological benefits of a short sleep during the time that caffeine needs to get through your digestive system and into your bloodstream.

I know I’ll be trying this the next time that I need to get through a long drive or sleep-deprived day on tour.

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