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Coffee is the go-to morning beverage for many people around the world. Waking up to a hot delicious, caffeinated cup of joe helps to get you up and ready to start your day.
In the late afternoon as your energy is ebbing, many people turn to coffee to give them a pick-me-up. But drinking coffee too late in the day could affect your sleep, according to Good Housekeeping. But how late is it too late to drink coffee?
The answer is not all that clear-cut. How long caffeine lasts in your body can depend on many variables like genetics, metabolism, and your normal intake of caffeine. The most important thing is to stop drinking coffee before it affects your sleep.
Caffeine Impacts Sleep
The average time that most people should stop drinking coffee is four to six hours before going to bed, according to Verywell Health. But people who are sensitive to caffeine might have to stop earlier. Figuring out what time works best for you could take some trial and error.
Your sleep will be better if you follow your body’s circadian rhythm and your sleep drive. Your sleep drive is your desire to sleep and that grows during the course of the day due to a brain chemical called adenosine. Caffeine blocks adenosine and reduces sleepiness which contributes to difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep.
How Much Caffeine in Your Cup Also Matters
A cup of brewed coffee contains 11.8 milligrams of caffeine, explained Good Housekeeping, while a cup of espresso delivers a whooping 62.8 milligrams per ounce. The stronger the brew, the more caffeine it contains.
One of the biggest misconceptions is that caffeine’s effects wear off when the buzz wears off but caffeine could impact you much longer.
Jane Leverich, MS, RDN told Good Housekeeping, “Caffeine can still delay melatonin, disrupt your circadian rhythm, and reduce sleep quality in ways your body notices long before your brain does.”
Caffeine can also react differently as you age, your health conditions, and from medications you take. So, for many, the four-to-six-hour rule does not work. If you suffer from anxiety, insomnia, or keep waking up at night, eight to 10 hours before bedtime might work best.
You may want to rethink your late afternoon cup of coffee or make your after-dinner coffee a decaf and get a good night’s sleep instead. After all, your body needs rest a lot more than it needs caffeine.
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