{"id":2313,"date":"2022-05-07T13:02:25","date_gmt":"2022-05-07T11:02:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/?p=2313"},"modified":"2022-06-04T15:48:32","modified_gmt":"2022-06-04T13:48:32","slug":"caffeine-and-sleep","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/disturbmenot.co\/caffeine-and-sleep\/","title":{"rendered":"Caffeine and Sleep: Two Sworn Enemies"},"content":{"rendered":"
About 85% of people in the US consume products with caffeine on a daily basis. In addition, 43% of Americans use caffeine to deal with daytime sleepiness. Such striking stats are among the main reasons why we\u2019ll be talking about the relationship between <\/span>caffeine and sleep<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Although this stimulant may boost your energy and increase alertness, it can also have some adverse effects on your health. Keep on reading to find out how caffeine can affect your mind and body, and how healthy sleep habits can help you reduce caffeine consumption.<\/span><\/p>\n When we say caffeine, you probably first think of a cup of coffee. While it\u2019s true that this popular beverage contains caffeine, this isn\u2019t its only natural source. Actually, caffeine can be found in over <\/span>60 different plants<\/b>, not just <\/span>coffee beans<\/b>, <\/span>cocoa beans<\/b>, and <\/span>tea leaves<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s a natural stimulant, meaning it\u2019s a <\/span>psychoactive substance<\/b> with many effects on the nervous system. Besides being present in a variety of plants, it can also be produced <\/span>synthetically<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Everybody knows that caffeine makes us feel more <\/span>alert<\/b>, but let\u2019s try to explain what happens in our bodies when we have a cup of coffee or tea.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Firstly, we absorb this substance through our stomach. Once it enters our bloodstream, it affects our levels of:<\/span><\/p>\n Adenosine is a neurochemical that makes us feel more sleepy. Caffeine prevents this effect by blocking adenosine receptors. On the other hand, it boosts dopamine<\/span> levels, which increases alertness.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, caffeine messes with our sleep cycle by suppressing the production of <\/span>melatonin<\/b>, a sleep-inducing hormone<\/span><\/a>. Interestingly, caffeine seems to have an even more substantial effect on melatonin levels than bright light does.<\/span><\/p>\n Once you consume caffeine, you won\u2019t feel an immediate wake-up boost. In fact, the earliest you can expect its effects to kick in is <\/span>15 minutes upon consumption<\/b>. Caffeine typically reaches a peak level within <\/span>60 minutes<\/b>, and it can affect your body for hours.<\/span><\/p>\n The time typically required for your body to eliminate half of the substance (also known as the half-life of caffeine)\u2014is <\/span>3\u20135 hours<\/b>. What\u2019s more, it takes up to <\/span>10 hours<\/b> for the effects of this stimulant to ease entirely.<\/span><\/p>\n Generally speaking, the more caffeine you\u2019re used to drinking, the stronger your withdrawal symptoms will be.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Withdrawal symptoms appear 12 to 24 hours after the last caffeine intake and can last anywhere from two to nine days. So, if you\u2019re trying to flush caffeine out of your system entirely, bear in mind that you have to be patient.<\/span><\/p>\n Many of us regularly rely on the stimulant to keep us going through our daily activities and various responsibilities. However, when consuming it, we need to bear some possible negative effects in mind so we\u2019ll know how to avoid them better.<\/span><\/p>\n Since caffeine has a stimulative effect, it affects our night slumber negatively. Therefore, it\u2019s best to avoid caffeinated beverages before bedtime. People who consume caffeine in the <\/span>late afternoon<\/b> or in the <\/span>evening<\/b> often have trouble falling and staying asleep.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to this difficulty, they may wake up several times during the night to go to the bathroom since caffeine is well-known to have <\/span>diuretic properties.<\/b><\/p>\n According to a <\/span>JCSM study<\/span><\/a>, consuming caffeinated beverages up to <\/span>six hours <\/b>before going to bed still results in interrupted sleep. Another common occurrence are delays in the <\/span>sleep-wake cycle<\/b>. Put simply, you\u2019ll likely fall asleep later and spend less time in the <\/span>restorative sleep stages<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, the effects of caffeine vary among people. For example, <\/span>the elderly<\/b> are generally more sensitive to caffeinated beverages than younger people. <\/span>Genetics<\/b> also play a big role in caffeine tolerance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Finally, people who regularly drink caffeine become less sensitive to its effects over time.<\/span><\/p>\n In addition to having a disruptive effect on sleep quality, caffeine can have other unwanted effects on our health, such as:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n They usually become pronounced when we consume larger doses of this popular stimulant. For example, we usually drink coffee to increase our alertness. However, if we drink too much coffee, it can make us <\/span>anxious<\/b> and <\/span>nervous<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Since caffeine has a mild diuretic and sometimes even a laxative effect, some people drink coffee in the morning to stimulate bowel movement. Although this can be considered one of the positive <\/span>effects of caffeine<\/span>, larger amounts can lead to diarrhea.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, caffeine can increase <\/span>blood pressure<\/b>, especially in people who aren\u2019t used to consuming it. The good news is that this effect is only temporary. Nevertheless, try not to consume large amounts of caffeine, especially not before working out.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n It\u2019s also been noticed that caffeinated beverages can increase the heart rate in some people. This usually happens with higher doses or if you\u2019re particularly sensitive to this stimulant. In addition, substantial amounts of caffeine can alter your <\/span>heartbeat rhythm<\/b>.<\/span><\/p>\n Nothing is either black or white, and this goes for caffeine, too. If you consume caffeinated beverages moderately, you can reap several <\/span>health benefits<\/b>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n First, caffeine can boost your <\/span>energy levels<\/b> and increase alertness. However, this doesn\u2019t mean that you should replace a good night\u2019s sleep with a cup of coffee because nothing can make up for the <\/span>benefits of sleep<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Furthermore, according to the <\/span>findings of several studies<\/span><\/a>, caffeine promotes fat burning. It also lowers the risk of:<\/span><\/p>\n Keep in mind that if you drink caffeine regularly, you might become addicted to it, though not in the most typical sense of the word. People who regularly consume caffeine can experience withdrawal symptoms. These usually include:<\/span><\/p>\n Considering the relationship between <\/span>caffeine and sleep quality<\/span>, we\u2019ve provided a table with the caffeine content in different products. Hopefully, this list will help you manage your daily caffeine intake.<\/span><\/p>\nWhat You Should Know About Caffeine<\/b><\/h2>\n
So <\/b>What Is Caffeine<\/b>?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Caffeine Effects<\/b><\/h2>\n
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How Long Do the Effects of Caffeine Last?<\/b><\/h3>\n
How Long Does Caffeine Withdrawal Last?<\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/h3>\n
Negative Effects of Caffeine<\/b><\/h2>\n
Effects of Caffeine on the Sleep-Wake Cycle<\/b><\/h3>\n
Other Adverse <\/b>Caffeine Side Effects<\/b><\/h3>\n
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Positive Effects of Caffeine<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Tips on Caffeine Consumption<\/b><\/h2>\n
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Caffeine Content in Different Products<\/b><\/h2>\n