The Smart Sleeper's Guide To Caffeine

In this article you'll learn...
1. How Exactly Caffeine Gives You Energy
2. How Much Caffeine Is Safe To Consume
3. Tips To Make Sure Caffeine Doesn't Interfere With A Good Night's Sleep

Many of us crave a cup of 'Joe' in the morning, a pre workout drink to get us fired up, or a cup of tea with a bikkie to savour the afternoon with!

What's not to love about an energy lift to get you feeling better both mentally and physically? That's why Caffeine is the most widely used psychoactive substance used in the world.

What actually is Caffeine?
It's a stimulant, which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system making you feel more awake and alert. It naturally promotes wakefulness and counters fatigue, but how?

Q: How Does Caffeine Give Our Bodies Energy?

A: By blocking Adenosine receptors in the brain.

Adenosine is a substance that helps regulate our sleep and wake cycles (aka it's responsible for making us feel tired and fatigued or fresh and ready to go). The more adenosine that binds to receptors in your brain, the more tired you feel.

When Caffeine is absorbed, usually through the stomach and small intestine, it binds to the Adenosine receptors in the brain cells instead of Adenosine itself. However, Caffeine doesn't slow down the cell's activity like Adenosine would. Instead, it causes increased neuron firing in the brain cells and stimulates adrenaline release that results in... you guessed it, more energy!

Q: How Much Caffeine Is Too Much?

A: Experts recommend we consume no more than 400mg of caffeine per day.

That's the equivalent of:

Around 4 cups of coffee
Around 2-3 caffeinated energy drinks
About 9-10 cups of brewed black tea
Or about 900 grams of dark chocolate… delicious right. Cocoa contains caffeine!

But when it comes to sleep, it's the duration of caffeine's after effects that's important to keep in mind...

Q: How Long Is Caffeine's Half Life?

A: It can take up to 10 hours for caffeine to be completely processed and removed by your body!

Whilst we enjoy the benefits of caffeine during the day, having too much (especially in the arvo and early evening) can wreak havoc on our sleep quality.

However, the half life (the amount of time it takes for the levels of caffeine in your blood to be halved) for the body ranges from around three to six hours depending on the individual. This means caffeine can impact your sleep if you consume too much later in the day.

You can get less quality deep (NREM) and REM sleep whilst struggling to fall asleep in the first place. A consistent loss of deep sleep increases you risk of chronic diseases, accidents, and long-term conditions that may hinder your health including
- Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease
- High blood pressure
- Heart attack and stroke
- Type 2 diabetes

Whilst you notice the benefits of caffeine consumption for the first while, your brain is still processing the caffeine long after you consume it.

The result?

Waking up tired and groggy! Your impacted sleep means you don't wake up feeling as refreshed as you could be. This could mean you're more likely to reach for caffeine to stop yourself feeling so tired and repeating the cycle again the next day.

There you have it. Enjoy a good night's sleep tonight and use this energy boosting compound in the most effective way possible!

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This information is not intended to diagnose, treat or cure any medical condition. It is not medical advice and is general in nature. Consult your doctor before commencing any new exercise or diet program.

For more information on Caffeine, it's half life and sleep, visit these links below:

Journal of Neuroscience