The Bottom Line
- Your enemy is physiology: expect a circadian nadir roughly 03:00–06:00.
- Use the “Napaccino”: caffeine immediately before a 15–20 minute nap to reduce sleep inertia and sharpen vigilance.
- Don’t “study harder” — study smaller: micro-sessions + active recall only.
- Look useful while learning: pair learning with visible clinical admin (lists, checks, guideline lookups).
The Napaccino protocol (Coffee + 20 minutes)
Drink caffeine, then immediately take a short nap (ideally 15–20 minutes). Caffeine begins to take effect as you wake, and short naps reduce sleep inertia. Evidence in shift-work simulations suggests caffeine-nap protocols can improve vigilance and reduce subjective fatigue shortly after waking.
One rule that protects you
If patient care is active, studying stops. Night-shift study is only acceptable in genuine downtime and must be instantly interruptible.