Shout out to all the caffeine lovers out there, we are here to talk about whether it’s a good idea to have coffee before hitting the sack.
There are people who prefer to grab a cup of coffee before going to bed at night. The idea of snuggling up on the couch and watching TV with a cuppa sounds marvelous.
While this might have absolutely no effect on some people, many of us tend to spend a sleepless few hours after our cup of joe.
So is it a bad idea to have coffee before you go to bed at night?
Here's what we know about Drinking Coffee Before Bed so far
Most of us are under the impression that drinking coffee before bed will keep our eyes open.
This statement might seem legit, but it's not entirely true. Here's why.
The Internal Clock
There is a notion that Coffee might disrupt our internal body clock if consumed before bedtime. Our bodies may get the wrong indication into thinking that we want to go to sleep after a few more hours. This ultimately results in sleeplessness for the next few hours.
Our body has a component called the Circadian Clock which is responsible to set our sleep and wake cycles through regulation of biological rhythms.
The study shows that caffeine has an effect on the signal being passed on between our body cells, creating a disruption of the cellular circadian clock.
Quality of Sleep
Coffee also has a deep impact on the quality of sleep as well. Many people tend to have a sound sleep much less after consuming coffee before going to bed.
A separate study has shown that drinking a double espresso a couple of hours before bed can defer the generation of melatonin in your brain. Melatonin is in charge of helping you doze off. The end result is the effect of making you more alert by concealing the necessity of sleep.
However, this might also result in you feeling lethargic and sluggish when you wake up the next day as you will invariably be suffering from a lack of sleep.
Factors for a Good Snooze
There are, however, other factors as well that contribute to a sound sleep, or the lack of it.
External factors such as:
All above mentioned elements play a part in deciding if you get a good shut-eye or not.
Link with Insomnia
Insomnia has also been related to caffeine. 400 mg of coffee is the standard amount of coffee allowed to be consumed by a healthy adult per day.
If you drink more than this amount, you might suffer from insomnia like symptoms.
If going to bed early is the goal then we should exclude caffeine from our regular diet after or with dinner.
Individual Sleeping Patterns
Researchers have been looking at sleeping patterns as well to judge the distinct effects of caffeine on individuals. Because surely each individual is likely to have a separate sleeping pattern.
Studies show that if we wake up early in the morning as opposed to sleeping in late, caffeine is going to have a worse impact on us
Effect of Adenosine
Then there are those lucky few amongst us who can still dose off even after a cup of coffee. There is a logical cause for this.
There is a neurotransmitter called Adenosine which is responsible to create exhaustion in our brain when it isn’t receiving enough of it. It makes you feel drowsy when the effects of coffee wear off.
Adenosine is blocked by caffeine so it keeps us alert as long as it’s in our system. As soon as the effects of caffeine start to wear off adenosine starts its work again and the buildup is sure to make you sleepy.
What Should be the Latest Time to Take My Coffee?
As discussed above, having a hot sip of coffee is probably not be the best idea for most people combating sleep issues. So when and how should we be consuming our favorite beverage? Here’s how.
Drink Less as the Day Progresses
Coffee is best had early in the morning when we can make optimal use of its boosting capabilities. This is the time when we feel groggy and could use a lift.
As the day wears on the switch to tea with milk or decaffeinated coffee so your body clock doesn’t get affected.
Limit the Amount of Coffee Per Day
Medical research confirms that adults should not be consuming more than 400 mg of coffee per day. This amounts to about 4 cups a day.
We must be aware that consuming too much coffee can cause us to be irritable and on edge. So best to choose decaffeinated coffee if we must succumb to our craving for a hot cup.
Choose a Smaller Mug
When the goal is to reduce coffee intake, then it’s best to use a smaller mug as it will give us the illusion that I’m drinking more. This helps for many of us who have the tendency to top up our mug.
Don’t Drink Coffee after a Certain Point of Time in a Day
Coffee will invariably affect our sleeping patterns keeping us more alert and it does take a while to wear off.
So it’s ideal to consume it during the early morning hours and bring to a halt by the afternoon at the very latest.
Final Thoughts
Coffee is a universal favorite! Some of us don’t get the right motivation without our favorite cup of steaming hot coffee. But we love our sleep equally if not more.
A sound overnight sleep helps us to get through the day on a healthy and upbeat note. So it’s our responsibility to balance the intake of caffeine throughout the day.
Caffeine and how it affects sleep pattern varies from people to people. So, it’s best to test it out and decide on a healthy amount of intake.
About the Author: Stepheny is a content writer at FeedFond. A skincare enthusiast and a doting mother to her two children, she’s a healthcyclopedia. Read more of her articles at FeedFond.com.
