Caffeine and Sleep - And When To Be Aware

The smell of freshly brewed coffee in the air....I love my cup of coffee in the afternoon. For some, an afternoon cup of coffee represents a calming ritual, while for others it serves as a vital energy booster. But beware, I usually will not consume it after 2:30pm. Any time later and it will impact my sleep. And it's not just coffee – caffeine is found in tea, chocolate, sodas, energy drinks, and even certain medications and energy bars. It is often added in synthetic form to medication, sodas, energy drinks, and energy bars.

How does caffeine impact sleep? When you consume caffeine it will be absorbed by your body within 30 - 60min and through the blood will make its way to the brain.

Inside the brain, caffeine blocks adenosine receptors which trick your brain into thinking that it’s not tired. Adenosine is a sleep-promoting chemical that is produced by the brain during the day and the longer we stay up, the sleepier we get. The blocking of this neurotransmitter by caffeine keeps us alert and vigilant. In addition, caffeine also interferes with melatonin production, the hormone that helps your body to know when it's time to sleep and wake up. In short, both of these effects of caffeine on the brain will mess up your Circadian Rhythm (your 24hrs sleep-wake cycle).

The results can be a daytime crash when the caffeine leaves your system, not getting enough sleep at night, and lower sleep quality.

Caffeine has a half-life of 5 to 7 hours, which means it takes that many hours to break down half of the caffeine in your system. For example, if you have a cup of coffee at 3 p.m., by 8 p.m. you have only metabolized half of that caffeine—the other half is still in your system. Every person metabolizes caffeine differently so it can be less or more time. It also varies how much it impacts a person’s quality of sleep. Caffeine can reduce the time that you spend in the stage of deep sleep. Deep Sleep is important for restorative functions, enabling muscle growth and repair. This restful sleep leaves us feeling refreshed and alert in the morning. Lack of deep sleep is associated with fatigue the following day, problems with learning, memory, problem-solving, and regulation of emotions.

Some people may feel tried after consuming caffeine. Caffeine may have already disrupted your sleep and you feel more sleep deprived throughout the day. After drinking more caffeine to get through the day your next night will be even more interrupted and you will be more tired the following day. At some point sleep deprivation wins over caffeine intake- drinking a coffee makes you more tired. That is a sign to make a drastic change for your future health.

This information is not to discourage you from drinking coffee but rather being mindful of how much and when you drink coffee if you love it as much as I do.

3 Tips for Caffeine Consumption:

Hydrate First

 Start your day with a glass of water before diving into your coffee. Overnight fasting leaves your body in a dehydrated state, and caffeine, being a diuretic, further dehydrates by stimulating the kidneys to expel sodium and water. Additionally, coffee's acidic nature can irritate the stomach lining, especially when consumed on an empty stomach. Preemptively drinking water can mitigate these effects.

Define Your Caffeine Cut-Off Time

To safeguard your sleep, ensure you halt caffeine consumption at least six hours before your bedtime, as recommended by the Sleep Foundation.

Recognize Signs of Over Consumption

If you're experiencing symptoms like insomnia, jitteriness, anxiety, a rapid heartbeat, stomach upset, nausea, headaches, or general unease, it may be time to reevaluate your caffeine intake.