Grab a 'Nappuccino' with Greggs' Giant Coffee Cup Sleep Pods

Despite more than half the population (57%) admitting they rely on a coffee to help them feel more awake or alert, caffeine and sleep have long been thought to be a total mismatch. 

However, scientific research put to the test by Greggs has found that tired workers may actually significantly benefit from drinking a cup of coffee before a quick power nap, because it heightens the impact of caffeine on the body – and will mean you wake up feeling more alert. 

Scientists at the University of Pennsylvania found that consuming a coffee, then immediately taking a 20 minute power nap, maximised alertness and increased productivity. 

Studies show that once caffeine enters the bloodstream and into the brain, it locks into receptors that are normally filled by a similarly-shaped molecule, called adenosine. 

Adenosine, a chemical compound that induces drowsiness, combines with the caffeine in the receptors, and speeds up the nerve cells. Sleeping naturally clears adenosine from the brain; therefore napping for 20 minutes will reduce levels of adenosine just in time for the caffeine to work. 

It takes around 30 minutes for caffeine to take effect after drinking a coffee, so by sleeping for 20 or so minutes of those 30, you can reduce the amount of adenosine the caffeine has to compete with – giving the caffeine a much greater effect, boosting alertness and reducing the feeling of tiredness. 

And so to mark the launch of its newly extended coffee range at nearly 1,700 shops nationwide, leading food-on-the-go retailer, Greggs, set up a giant outdoor Nappuccino laboratory at Potters Field, London, to put the theory to the test with commuters and city workers. 

Members of the public took part in the giant real-time ‘Nappuccino’ study – enjoying a freshly ground Greggs coffee followed by a 20 minute power nap in a specially designed giant coffee cup pod, complete with a bed, blankets, cushions, mood lighting and relaxing music. 

Further research undertaken by Greggs found that it takes, on average; 4 hours and 38 minutes from waking for productivity to drop – and 1 in 10 people feel their productivity dropping even after one hour of waking. 

It also found that Brits take two naps per week on average and a staggering 79% feel more productive and energised after a power nap or unscheduled rest.

However, only 7% say they had previously considered taking a post-coffee nap as a method of making the most out of their day.