The stereotype that you can’t drink coffee at night is one of the most stable. But at the same time, there have always been people who are happy to drink the last cup of the day, almost before going to bed, and assure that they feel great. And there are those on whom coffee makes you sleepy. Where is the truth? Who can drink it and shouldn’t?
The effect of caffeine on the body before going to bed
There is no consensus, and there cannot be. Just because people are different, and about 5-7% of coffee drinkers have almost no caffeine effect. The body does not perceive it, and sleep is affected by other substances, of which there are thousands in coffee. Therefore, a person feels Drowsiness, relaxation, and peace; in these sensations, he falls asleep perfectly, waking up refreshed.
For those who drink no more than 2 cups of coffee daily, caffeine has a more substantial effect and, therefore, can’t fall asleep for a long time. Caffeine inhibits the activity of necessary neurotransmitters as well as the hormones melatonin and adenosine, which are jointly responsible for inducing feelings of exhaustion and the desire to sleep (a substance produced during sleep and allows you to have a good rest in a deep sleep). Therefore, a cup of coffee before bed can delay falling asleep by around 40 minutes, and it can also act as a diuretic, requiring you to get up multiple times during the night.
Those who consume at least 5 to 6 cups of their favorite beverage daily, however, nearly never get sleep difficulties. Their body is accustomed to coffee and therefore does not view it as a source of happiness. However, this only works permanently for genuine coffee enthusiasts. The difference between six and seven cups of coffee each day is negligible. But if a person who typically consumes 1-2 cups per day consumes five, he is likely to have a sleepless night and awake feeling weak and exhausted.
Medical research data on the effects of coffee before bedtime
No severe global research has, but individual research institutes periodically recruit volunteers and offer them espresso before bed. In general, the data are similar: if a person is not used to such a regime, one cup shifts the period of falling asleep by about 40-60 minutes. And coffee drinkers do not care about this, and they sleep soundly.
When should I drink coffee before going to bed?
There is one situation in which coffee before going to bed to almost everyone. Suppose you drink a cup of coffee and go to bed for 20 minutes. In that case, every chance to fall asleep perfectly and cheered up by people who work on complex schedules at night or take a large amount of work during the day, as well as students who urgently need to learn everything in the world.
A person falls asleep if he wants to sleep. During this time, you can fall into a shallow sleep and let your brain relax for a while. After 20 minutes, the effect of caffeine begins, and it already slows down the production of “sleepy” hormones. That is the effect of double vivacity. If you need to hold out and not sleep longer, you can still sleep, but do it exactly according to this principle, for 20 minutes, with coffee, and every 3-5 hours.
General rules for drinking coffee before going to bed
It follows from the above that people are still different. But for most people who are not used to drinking coffee before going to bed, these rules are pretty suitable:
Try to make the last cup of coffee softer, not strong. You can add milk and lemon and pour more water. All reduce the concentration of caffeine.
On average, caffeine in 6 hours. Try not to drink your favorite drink during these 6 hours before bedtime.
It is better to give preference, not to espresso, but at least to Americano, and even better – to coffee cocktails like latte and cappuccino, RAF, etc., with milk and cream.
What should I do if I drink a cup of coffee before bed and can’t fall asleep?
If you could not give up your favorite drink, and you understand that the body does not want to fall asleep, but you need to do it because there is a difficult day ahead, there are several recipes:
- Warm milk with honey and cinnamon is one of the most effective relaxing remedies. In addition, milk partially neutralizes caffeine.
- A soothing massage and a hot shower are two things that many people like doing together. You can stretch your feet to yourself and put on warm socks.
- Surprisingly, the phone, which everyone recommends giving up before bed, can help. According to reviews, meditative scrolling of the tape with changing pictures allows many to fall asleep.
