30 Seconds Summary
Research Spotlight: Caffeine, a nap, or both?

  • High-quality sleep is crucial, but factors in daily life often disrupt sleep, challenging athletic performance.
  • Research shows caffeine and naps can both increase performance and wakefulness when sleep is restricted.
  • A study tested 9 male athletes under different conditions: normal sleep, sleep restriction with placebo, sleep restriction with caffeine, sleep restriction with a nap and placebo, and sleep restriction with both a nap and caffeine.
  • Sleep restriction involved limiting sleep to 4.5 hours, and naps were 20 minutes long.
  • Results indicated that naps generally outperformed caffeine for improving performance under sleep deprivation.
  • The most effective strategy was consuming caffeine in combination with a 20-minute nap before exercise.
  • While caffeine is quicker and more convenient, incorporating a nap, particularly with caffeine, can significantly enhance performance when sleep is restricted.
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