Are you having trouble sleeping? You probably had a cup of coffee in the morning to keep you awake, had another in the afternoon to help you to boost your energy levels only to later have trouble sleeping through the night. What causes the lack of sleep and how do you deal with that? This is a guide that will answer your questions and help you sleep through the night.
Let’s talk about caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases the activity of your brain and nervous system and causes loss of sleep. Coffee and other drinks such as tea, chocolate, energy drinks, and soft drinks contain caffeine.
Different types of coffee drinks have different levels of caffeine. Per 250 milliliters, Espresso has 105-110 milligrams of caffeine, Instant coffee contains 80-120 milligrams of caffeine, tea has 65-105 milligrams, the chocolate drink has 5-10 milligrams, energy drinks have 160 milligrams, while soft drinks such as cola have 40-49 milligrams per 375milliliters.
Caffeine has different effects on different people.
What happens when you take that cup of coffee?
Caffeine and Your Body
What happens when caffeine gets into your system? Your brain has a substance known as adenosine that normally promotes sleep. When you take coffee the caffeine blocks the adenosine from performing its role. This results in a lack of sleep. The effects of caffeine in your system happen so fast as the results are felt after 10 to 45 minutes and for some, the effects occur 5 minutes after taking the cup of coffee. It takes 5 hours for your body to absorb and eliminate half the caffeine you have taken. This means that the effects of caffeine last for more than 10 hours in your body depending on the person.
What are the factors that determine how long the caffeine effects last?
Caffeine metabolism is different for each individual. Some of the factors that determine how long caffeine last in your body are:
- The amount of coffee or caffeine that you’ve consumed.
- Your age.
- Caffeine sensitivity level.
- The weight of your body
- How long you’ve been using coffee or caffeine.
What are the effects of taking coffee or caffeine?
Most things we take have effects on our bodies. The effects are either positive or negative. Let’s look at the effects coffee has on our bodies.
Positive Effects
- Taking coffee can help you lose weight.
- Increases alertness level.
- Increases physical energy.
- Increases the functioning of the brain.
- Reduces the risks of some diseases such as skin cancer and Parkinson’s disease.
Negative effects
- Rise in your body temperature
- Dizzyness
- Headaches
- Fast heartbeat
- Dehydration
- Lack of sleep
- Anxiety and irritability
- Jitters
- High blood pressure
- Reduces appetite
People who often take caffeine become resistant to it and may never feel or notice the effects.
Is it Possible to Speed Up Caffeine Metabolism?
There is no particular way that you can speed up your metabolism. However, there are things you can do that will help you feel better after taking much caffeine and they include:
- Drinking water
Caffeine intake causes dehydration and it is therefore very important to drink a lot of water.
- Eating food
Caffeine intake reduces your appetite and lack of food may lead to headaches and nausea. Eating will help you feel better. Taking coffee with food also helps you feel better as the food reduces the caffeine processing and reduces the risk of shakes and jitters.
- Physical exercise
Exercise will help you make use of the energy that caffeine intake gives you.
What are the recommendations When Taking Coffee?
- The recommended amount of coffee you are supposed to take is 400 milligrams or anything below it. This is equal to four cups of coffee in a day.
- For pregnant or nursing mothers, less coffee should be taken or avoided completely. Too much caffeine can lead to miscarriage.
- If you’re having trouble sleeping at night, avoid the afternoon coffee, and drink decaffeinated coffee that has low caffeine levels.
- Children’s coffee intake and other caffeinated drinks should be limited and monitored.
- In case you are a coffee fanatic and you have to cut back your coffee intake do it gradually to avoid caffeine withdrawal symptoms.
Signs and Symptoms of Caffeine Withdrawal
- Severe headaches
- Tiredness
- Anxiety
- Swaeting
- Muscle pain
Summary
Taking coffee 6 to 8 hours before sleep will likely interfere with your sleep. It is very important to be cautious of your afternoon cup of coffee. Your morning cup of coffee is a better habit compared to your afternoon. Too much caffeine intake will affect your health as well as your sleep. Be wise on your coffee consumption and choose the time to consume coffee that will work best for you without depreciating your sleep.
Related Articles
How to Stay Awake Without Coffee?
Why Doesn’t Coffee Wake Me Up?
