Coffee is widely consumed because of its fruity and floral flavor that make us accustomed to it. But in some cases, the caffeine found in it is what mostly people want to boost their daily lives.
The caffeine found in coffee is one of the most generally devoured stimulants in the world. It is considered as a psychoactive drug, which can offer benefits as well. But at the same time, caffeine may also result in the reduction of the amount of deep sleep you enjoy.
In this integrable view, we’ll examine the relationship between caffeine consumption and the quality of your nighttime sleep. Let’s see if this compound is being capable of producing both positive and negative effects on it.
What Happens If You Drink Coffee Before Sleeping?
As a matter of experience, a cup of coffee after dinner can literally keep you awake all night. But that will happen if you devour it every day.
In my case, I drink a cup of coffee almost every day before bedtime. What I observed is during the first week, you won’t notice its effect. Typically, it will boost your mental alertness in just 4 to 6 hours. But later on, you will feel tired or sleepy.
So, it only means that the amount of caffeine in a single cup is so minimal that your stomach and intestine can nicely absorb. Your body can quickly metabolize half of what you consumed in just a couple of hours.
However, if you make it a habit and always consume caffeine in the form of coffee daily, this is when it starts to affect the quality of your nighttime rest.
On the contrary, an academic study shows that the effect of caffeine can only last for about five days. In their experiment, the participants consumed about 200 mg of caffeine each day during the sleep restriction stage.
Fast forward, it turns out that the effect of caffeine as a stimulant becomes less effective when absorbed daily. It either means that your body becomes tolerant or immune to it. In that case, they concluded that caffeine’s reaction has limited influence in maintaining alertness and wakefulness.
Besides, a specific study explained that your tolerance depends on the amount of caffeine you consumed. It might be difficult for you to fall asleep as a high amount of caffeine offers a more substantial effect than low caffeine content that gives easy consumption and minimal kick. Furthermore, with a high caffeine concentration, the investigation suggested that it can take up all night for its effects on your body to disappear.
How Much Coffee Should You Consume?
According to the Mayo Clinic, the maximum caffeine consumption should up to 400 mg per day. The FDA also said that this amount is safe for most healthy adults. But when it comes to a child’s caffeine consumption, it should be first considered, and experts discourage it either. Young children have a different response to it. They can be sensitive to its effect and easily interfere with their sleep.
Don’t worry! As long as you know your limit, there’s a rough guide to which you can follow. The effects of caffeine vary with different consumers, some people are sensitive to it, and some can tolerate it. As mentioned before, this compound is metabolized by our body; it will just depend on how fast or slow the person can break it down.
However, don’t set aside that health advice as that guide is aimed to prevent toxic levels of caffeine that impose health risks. Don’t ask how much caffeine really is too much if you’re not going to believe it?
Sure, the best way to find out is to be always observant of yourself, especially if you’re a heavy drinker of these beverages. Besides, caffeine can be found not just in drinks but also in foods. And it may difficult to regulate what’s going in your body.
Therefore, it’s already too much if you notice or feel that unusual things are happening; let’s say you can’t sleep for about a week or two now. If that the case, you should consult your health care provider if caffeine consumption is really the reason and whether you should limit it. And don’t wait for the worst to arise before taking action.
How to Control Caffeine Intake?
The maximum cups of coffee you can drink in a day is about four to five cups. However, as the scientists at the FDA said, this amount is not generally associated with dangerous negative effects. So, it means it may still affect your sleep for some reason?
Besides, coffee is not the only beverage that contains it. What if you drink soft drinks or energy drinks throughout the day? That will still add up to the caffeine level in your body.
In that case, how would you control your caffeine dispersion?
You should not consume coffee that contains above the recommended amount of caffeine per day, which is 200 mg, so that the other portions will be allocated to other beverages and or foods that consist of it.
After all, it’s all up to you to limit and check the foods and drinks you enter into your body. It’s all about discipline, don’t treat your coffee like water. Else it may hard for you to control it afterward. Remember that coffee is super addictive, same in energy drinks, and you can’t easily quit if you’re already hooked to it.
How drinking coffee benefits you?
Health experts say that caffeine has high levels of antioxidants and gives health benefits to people consuming it. In fact, science validated that caffeine helps avoid the risk of serious diseases.
But usually, most of us drink beverages that contain caffeine to boost our day, hoping that this strong kick will jump-start our day. And it is indeed effective in improving reaction response and performance under some circumstances.
So, if caffeine consumption is well regulated, let’s say below the maximum amount mentioned above, then expect it to be a more competent alerting agent.
Coffee and Cafffeine helps Restore Mental Alertness
When someone feels tired and exhausted, caffeine is usually used to boost and restore mental alertness. When we say mental alertness, it means the ability of your brain and memory to increase efficiency.
According to research, once the caffeine is infused in your body, this psychoactive drug quickly enters your brain and inhibits those compounds that impact the way how your brain responds.
That’s why there are reasons why many students prefer coffee in the morning. During lectures and study time, it is definitely beneficial to them.
Coffee and Cafffeine Helps in Concentration
In addition, studies show that caffeine can help you stay focused; it enhances your concentration. Since this compound is a stimulant, it temporarily blocks some neurotransmitter functions (brain cells) positively. Under this condition, one element in your brain is present to activate receptors that help improve your concentration.
Have you ever noticed that every office has its own coffee makers or have dedicated coffee shops? Office workers always need something to jump-start their day in their work, and caffeine is there to help them stay focused.
Coffee and Cafffeine Enhances Performance (Physically & Mentally)
Although caffeine is known to impose side effects in your body, even just a little consumption of it, it is still placed in a general position in relation to human performance. Caffeine clearly has the potential to enhance performance, both physically and mentally.
From research conducted by the Military Nutritionist of the U.S. Army Research Institute of Environmental Medicine, they found out that caffeine has the most favorable nutritional components and has the most evident identifiable benefits.
Since then, caffeine is known for its ability to enhance physical performance. Some health experts and researchers highlight its positive impact on both physical and mental functioning.
Coffee and Cafffeine Improves Endurance
Furthermore, even back in the old days, there are reports that most athletes believe that caffeine improves endurance and cognitive performance. Since it is believed that it boosts athletic power and endurance, nowadays, caffeine is now used as an additive that helps the muscle burn fats.
This is the case where the popularity of coffee is driven by taste and a compound that helps weight loss. But the thing is, it doesn’t really directly impose the loss of weight.
Although sometimes it may directly affect your metabolism, it influences your muscle to improve your endurance. With that said, this is likely your energy source; you may have the ability to exercise harder and even work longer.
What are the negative effects of too much coffee?
Caffeine is always part of your daily routine. However, if too much intake of it, of course, it will pose a health problem.
And when it comes to your sleep, caffeine can have the most disturbing effect on it. Too much consumption of caffeine can lessen the precious time allocated for your sleep. What’s worse is it may lead to insomnia, and it may get worse if neglected. As we’ve said, it may trigger a sleep disorder.
Furthermore, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), over-consuming caffeine can also cause:
- Anxiousness
- Fast heart rate
- Upset stomach
- Dehydration (It may affect the urinary system)
- Shakiness
- Muscle tremors
- Nausea and
- Even a Headache.
Always be cautioned that high amounts of caffeine can account for serious health problems. If you’re not aware that you’ve already exhausting toxic levels of it, it may lead to possible death.
Remember that caffeine in powder or liquid form, such as energy drinks varies between different factors. Be sure always to check the labels if you know that you’re a heavy drinker of beverages containing a large amount of caffeine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has urged consumers to avoid this kind of lifestyle.
Should you drink coffee before you sleep?
Caffeine will not make you fall to sleep; it’s the opposite instead. Too much caffeine intake is probably not a good idea as a substitute for rest. It reduces the time it takes for you to have a deep night’s sleep.
Therefore, it’s a good practice that you should avoid drinking tea or coffee before bedtime since this compound is a stimulant that causes your brain and body to be more alert and awake.
A particular study shows that half of the caffeine content is metabolized by your body in about 6 hours, and it doesn’t even directly amend your normal stages of sleep.
However, remember that this compound is almost a standard drug and has a physiological effect on your body. It enhances your body and brain functioning, impacting your sleep quality and routine. It sometimes triggers sleep disorders.
Caffeine in the form of our daily cup has a significant effect, but its level may range. So, in that case, how much more if you consumed a high amount of it?
Although it will depend on some factors and some people can tolerate the amount of it in a cup. But what happens if you increase its caffeine level? I bet only a few coffee geeks can endure its cause.
Abstaining from Caffeine the 3 Month Journey
Have you ever considered quitting caffeine? Join Michael Pollan, Michael, an author, professor, and journalist on his fascinating journey as he embarks on a three-month experiment of abstaining from caffeine. With illuminating insight and engaging anecdotes, this in-depth exploration delves into the historical context of caffeine and its pivotal role in shaping societal norms and intellectual movements. From the Arab world to Europe to World War II, discover how coffee and tea led to increased productivity, employee satisfaction, and even the Industrial Revolution. Hear about Pollan’s personal battle with caffeine addiction and his profound journey toward understanding its biological impacts on brain receptors. Plus get insightful tips for overcoming withdrawal symptoms and learn why Joe Rogan invites him onto the Experience podcast. Don’t miss out—watch now to uncover what Pollan learned from quitting caffeine for a few months!
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAPG18zNtXk[/embedyt]If you liked the videos on Caffeine above you might enjoy Micahel Pollan’s intriguing and enlightening Audio on Caffeine: How Caffeine Created The Modern World in format: Audio CD or Audible subscription.
Final Thoughts
Each individual has a different response to caffeine. It may suppress your sleep as its side effect, or it might benefit you as long as your consumption is wisely regulated and minded adequately throughout the day.
Just make it a manner that if you are looking to start drinking coffee for some extra caffeine kick in your life, always monitor how it affects you, especially in your sleep. The bottom line here is to avoid too much caffeine every nighttime.
In the end, while there is substantial evidence that coffee affects your sleep, it shows that these effects depend on the amount of caffeine you consume that concedes with your lifestyle.
Like this Article? You Might Want to Read: How Much Caffeine is In a Cup of Coffee?