Coffee lovers hardly get enough of the beverage. It’s one of the most preferred beverages globally. In fact, many people around the world enjoy drinking coffee almost daily. Coffee is popularly loved due to its caffeinating effect. Caffeine gives the body the much-needed energy boost to perform mental and physical activities.
However, some people don’t get the energy boost they’d expect. Instead, some people find themselves feeling sleepy after taking coffee. But why does consuming caffeine make some people sleepy? There’re certain reasons behind this fact including:
- Caffeine Can Cause Stress
Stress wreaks havoc on some people. Unfortunately, taking caffeine can cause stressful feelings. When feeling stressed, the body releases cortisol, which is a hormone that tells the body to stay alert. As a result, you’ll feel even more stressed. Also, the body releases another hormone known as adrenaline or epinephrine that increases the heart rate.
Existing research shows that taking caffeine may double the level of cortisol and epinephrine. These effects can happen to both regular and irregular coffee drinkers, thereby resulting in stress spikes. When the body is put under high alert, you’ll feel tired and sleepy.
- Coffee Can Block Adenosine
The body produces adenosine, which is a neurotransmitter that causes fatigue. Upon drinking coffee, the caffeine ingredient enters the bloodstream, where it gets distributed throughout the body, including the brain. Upon reaching the brain, caffeine attaches itself to the adenosine receptors. Consequently, the body is blocked from receiving adenosine despite producing it. Upon coming down from a caffeine rush, the brain gets bombarded with excess adenosine. The consequence of this challenge is that you’ll feel tired and sleepy to the extent of prompting you to take more coffee.
- Taking Coffee with Too Much Sugar
Many coffee lovers like drinking peppermint mocha during holidays and cold Frappuccino during summer. While these coffees are tasty, they’re loaded with a lot of sugar. It’s like taking a whole cup of artificial sugar with few teaspoons of coffee added to it. In this case, you’ll feel groggy due to the sugar crash that comes after taking coffee with too much sugar.
Essentially, the body processes sugar faster than caffeine. In fact, some people experience a major sugar crash after 90 minutes of taking sweetened coffee. Once the high sugar content gets processed, your body may experience intense fatigue due to the fast rise and fall of your body sugar level.
- You’re Consuming Cheap Coffee
The amount of money you invest in something often dictates its quality. This includes buying coffee beans or ready coffee drinks. If you choose cheap coffee, you’re likely buying a low-quality blend. Research shows that some low-quality coffee blends contain mold. Others contain mycotoxins, which is a chemical product resulting from fungi and causes chronic fatigue.
When you consume moldy coffee, your body will naturally react negatively, thereby making you feel foggy-headed and tired. You can avoid this problem by investing in high-quality coffee from top brands.
- Coffee Can Make You Pee
Coffee is a laxative product. It also has diuretic properties. Thus, coffee can make you feel the urge to pee more frequently than usual. Research shows that moderate and heavy coffee drinkers who consume at least 4 cups of coffee per day will often find themselves peeing more frequently than usual.
Upon peeing, you’ll excrete a significant amount of fluids from the body. As a result, you may become dehydrated. However, it’s not yet known the extent to which coffee makes a person dehydrated as it also adds some water to the body. However, when you empty the bladder more frequently, you can experience the effects that come with dehydration, including feeling sleepy. Essentially, lacking enough fluid in the blood causes slow blood circulation. Consequently, you’ll experience an increased heart rate, thereby feeling tired or sluggish.
You can counter this problem by keeping your body hydrated. Simply drink enough water daily. Also, consume foods that contain a lot of water such as vegetables and fruits. Also, don’t drink more coffee once you start experiencing dry skin or mouth or when you start feeling dizzy.
How to Reduce These Effects
In case you feel sleepy after taking coffee, there’re certain measures you can take to prevent it. For instance, you can start by observing the best health practices. For instance, you should sleep 7 to 8 hours daily. Your bed should be comfortable enough to ensure your body rests comfortably. Sleeping for the recommended amount of time can assist in reducing stress and help you to think more clearly. That way, you won’t need to consume a lot of coffee.
Even when feeling the urge to take coffee for a quick energy boost or just for the love of coffee, avoid taking it excessively. It’s recommended to consume a maximum of four 8-ounce cups of coffee per day.
Also, stay hydrated throughout the day. Ensure you take enough water regardless of how much coffee you’re drinking to stay hydrated. While some foods contain water, you can only get sufficient hydration by taking enough water.
Conclusion
If you’re wondering why coffee can make you feel sleepy, the reason behind this effect is the way caffeine affects the body. If you fail to drink enough water or take enough rest and proceed to take coffee, you’ll find yourself feeling fatigued. Thus, observe the best health practices to enjoy the benefits that come with taking coffee. Otherwise, you’ll feel worse even after taking coffee.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it healthy to drink coffee daily ?
It’s safe for most people to drink coffee daily when doing it in moderation. However, you shouldn’t consume more than four 8-ounce cups of coffee per day. Exceeding that amount may have numerous negative effects on your health.
Why do I feel sleepy after taking coffee?
The reason why you feel sleepy after taking coffee is that caffeine may cause dehydration. It can also make you feel stressed. Thus, you’ll feel tired and want to sleep. If you’re taking a cheap coffee brand, it might be containing mold that may cause fatigue. Also, sugary coffee can result in a major sugar crash, thereby making you feel fatigued and want to sleep.
How long will it take to feel the effects of coffee?
You’ll start feeling the effects of caffeine in about 10 minutes after consumption. However, its effects will peak within 90 minutes after consumption. The effects wear off after some hours. However, individuals who have built up tolerance to caffeine may not experience any effects.
Can caffeine affect my sleep?
Caffeine is known to affect sleep. Caffeine can remain active in the body for about 3 to 7 hours. Thus, its effects can remain in the body for many hours. As such, avoid taking coffee or caffeinated drinks 6 hours before sleeping.
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