For many of us, caffeine is an integral part of our daily routine. No matter where your caffeine intake comes from—coffee, tea, soda, etc., at a certain point in the day, it will start to interfere with your sleep health.
A study recently published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep has found that caffeine intake as much as six hours before going to bed can affects a person’s sleep. The study administered 400 mg of caffeine to participants, which is the amount typically found in a 16-oz cup of coffee, zero, three, and six hours prior to going to bed. No matter how many hours prior to bedtime the caffeine was consumed, every participant experienced sleep disturbances. This included inability to fall asleep, poor sleep efficiency, and high levels of wake time during sleep.
According to the Sleep Foundation, caffeinated food and beverages temporarily make us feel more alert by blocking sleep-inducing chemicals in the brain and increasing adrenaline production. Even if you don’t necessarily feel like your body is still being affected by caffeine that was consumed in the late afternoon, it often is still there and hindering your ability to get a healthy night’s sleep. An accumulation of these results can produce harmful effects on daytime function.
Find out what's happening in McLeanfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
To avoid these caffeine-induced sleep issues—without completely cutting out caffeine—it’s recommended that you stick to the morning cup of coffee, and limit caffeine intake throughout the day. Also, consider a few alternatives to coffee like tea, which usually has 30-90 mg of caffeine per cup, or a can of soda, which has about 36 mg. Compare this to the 100 mg typically found in a cup automatic-drip coffee, or the 400 mg found in a 16 oz. cup of coffee from Starbucks.
While that cup of joe in the late afternoon may sound appealing, keep in mind that the earlier you can cut out caffeine, the better. For more help with sleep or caffeine-reduction issues, contact Principal Medical Group.
