The effect of coffee on human sleep
It is known that coffee is one of the main sources of caffeine among plant products. This substance is an active stimulant of the nervous and cardiovascular systems, which has an invigorating effect.
In each organism, the influence of coffee products can have its own shades:
- vigor, activation;
- elimination of drowsiness, muscle weakness;
- concentration, composure.
Under certain conditions of the body, the drink can also have the opposite effect: cause drowsiness, fatigue, lethargy, and apathy.
Everyone knows that coffee should have an invigorating and tonic effect, but this statement is not entirely accurate. Probably, information about golden grains became the object of advertising when the drink was popularized among the masses and only its beneficial aspects were presented.
In fact, the work of coffee is more complicated, and its secret lies in the composition of the drink. The coffee bean consists of 2 “layers” – the core and the shell. The outer part accumulates caffeine compounds, and the inner part accumulates theobromine. These substances affect the body in different ways.
Whole bean and ground coffee contain both components, and instant coffee is prepared only from kernels.
The caffeine shell is used for the production of pharmacological drugs, food additives and energy drinks.
It turns out that the caffeine content in the instant powder is negligible, which is why many people notice that natural grain coffee has an invigorating effect, while freeze-dried coffee has no effect or even puts you to sleep.
Effects of caffeine
Experts say that the caffeine component has an invigorating effect, which begins immediately after drinking the drink and lasts only 20-35 minutes - depending on the type of beans and the characteristics of the body.
Caffeine activates the nervous system, makes the brain work faster, stimulates heart contractions, accelerates blood flow, helps eliminate toxins, and speeds up digestive processes and metabolism.
All this creates a feeling of a surge of energy, but this effect does not last long, and - as often happens - it is replaced by a phase of rest, and sometimes fatigue. This is partly due to the fact that coffee does not bring energy with it, but only awakens the body's internal resources.
Effect of theobromine
The substance theobromine has a relaxing and calming effect; unlike caffeine, it dilates blood vessels and helps normalize heart rate and blood pressure.
The tricky thing about the coffee effect is that, in contrast to caffeine, the action of its “companion” often causes drowsiness and loss of strength in people.
To neutralize the soporific effect, it is recommended to sip a portion of coffee for 1-1.5 hours, then new caffeine molecules will balance the effect of theobromine.
The effect of coffee in some sources is called the “thirtieth kilometer”. This is due to the fact that drivers who drink a dose of coffee on the road manage to drive about 30 km invigorated while the caffeine takes effect, and then suddenly feel lethargic.
This increases the risk of accidents, which is why experts do not recommend drinking coffee before setting off, especially after insufficient sleep, and you should only get behind the wheel if you are truly alert and sober.
How does coffee help you stay awake?
There are numerous legends about the history of the appearance of the coffee drink, one of which claims that Ethiopian goats contributed to the discovery of the tonic effect of coffee. The shepherds noticed that the animals who tried the coffee fruits, lose weight in a week with cappuccino coffee, behave more cheerfully than other goats. Trees with invigorating fruits were discovered in Ethiopia in the Kaffa region. The word “coffee” was derived from the name of the region.
The Arabs who conquered Ethiopia began to consume coffee beans in their raw form. Ground raw fruits mixed with fat and rolled into balls were eaten. Such tonic food was usually taken by nomads and travelers on a long journey through the Arabian deserts. Food, wall clock coffee dynasty containing nut nutrients and caffeine, contributed to satiety and gave vigor.
Caffeine is prized because it combats sleep and fatigue, but it can be a double-edged sword.
Caffeine can actually keep people from falling asleep quickly and getting a good night's sleep (), which means you need more caffeine the next morning to feel energized. So it's a vicious circle - the caffeine user has to drink more, such as coffee, the next day after consuming it before bed the day before.
How to drink coffee to stay awake
Some consumers may believe that the more caffeine that enters the body, the more alert the person feels. It is not true. Even 1-2 cups of coffee drink can affect more than half of the specific receptors of the nervous system.
The effect lasts 5-6 hours. Additional servings will not enhance the effects of caffeine, and may even lead to an overdose and unpleasant consequences.
To cheer up and concentrate on work, it is enough to drink 1-2 cups of coffee a day if we are talking about a natural drink, and 3-4 - when it is an instant one. This should be done gradually: if you drink coffee in one gulp, especially when the drink is sweet, its effect may be abrupt.
Milk can slow down, or rather prolong the effect. Experts say that coffee components combine with dairy components in such a way that the digestion of caffeine slows down and it enters the brain gradually.
When it is difficult for the body to wake up without a portion of a stimulant, and coffee does not help or begins to cause unpleasant sensations - heartburn, liver discomfort, drowsiness - you can always replace it with a cup of tea, black or green. It will help normalize the pH and will keep the body alert much more gently.
Does coffee help you stay awake?
Coffee is a heat-loving plant, native to the Middle East and the equatorial zone of Brazil, Chile, India and Africa. The most delicious drink is obtained if the grains for which are grown on high-mountain plantations located at an altitude of 2000 meters. It is here that elite and expensive varieties are grown, the harvest of which can be harvested four times a year. Does coffee help you stay awake?
The coffee tree grows up to nine meters in height in the wild. The branches bear dark green leaves, the length of which reaches thirty centimeters. The evergreen tree renews its foliage every five years. Cultivated plants have a more modest size, Irish coffee cream reviews, but they bear fruit more often and more abundantly if they grow on high-mountain plantations.
Among the coffee trees, the most famous is the Arabica variety, grown in Ethiopia. The fruits of this variety grow on trees up to six meters high, most of which grow in the wild. Harvesting lasts up to eight months and is done manually. The most famous varieties of coffee from this country are Harar and Jimma.
Signs that drinking is interfering with sleep
Coffee invigorates the body in several ways:
- triggers brain function;
- activates blood flow, increases blood pressure;
- stimulates appetite;
- increases heart rate;
- supports kidney function, produces a mild diuretic effect.
When so many processes in the body are accelerated at the same time, he cannot fall asleep anytime soon.
Sometimes caffeine excites the nervous system so much that a person is not able to fall asleep even at night (or in accordance with his schedule), although he feels tired physically and mentally. This is why experts do not recommend drinking coffee at night, or rather, 3-4 hours before going to bed.
At the same time, coffee normally does not have such a “killer” and “explosive” effect on the human body and sleep as advertising promises. In general, the drink is harmless, and its effect should not be pronounced.
Caffeine only invigorates, but does not give strength to the body, so you should not get too carried away with the aromatic elixir.
The properties of coffee beans have not been fully studied, but it is known that it can affect each person with some differences.
How to stay awake at night without drinking coffee
Rest is a basic human need. Therefore, it is not recommended to stay awake for a long period or experience lack of sleep. As a one-time act, being awake at night can pass without negative consequences for the body. But even 3-4 days in this mode can lead to severe exhaustion.
In order for night wakefulness to pass without negative consequences, it is important to follow the following rules:
- at the first opportunity, immediately go to rest;
- avoid too long periods without sleep;
- do not practice them too often;
- try to avoid physical and mental fatigue.
How you can achieve the effect of vivacity and recharge with vital energy without caffeine, so that it lasts for 8-10 hours - below we present you the best ways.
Why does coffee make you sleepy?
There are several reasons why coffee invigorates or, conversely, puts you to sleep. Direct action has already been described. As for the opposite, this condition can be caused by fatigue of the body, which can no longer respond to caffeine, or by the quality of the product.
Diseases
Normally, coffee stimulates the activity of internal systems, but some conditions can provoke the opposite reaction. Caffeine and theobromine enter the bloodstream during digestion, and only then to the nervous system.
Impaired breakdown and absorption of these substances can cause an overdose or rejection, so the drink should be consumed with extreme caution in the following conditions:
- for diseases of the digestive system - liver, pancreas and gastrointestinal tract;
- for nervous diseases, under stress, sleep disorders, as well as hormonal imbalances;
- in case of coronary heart disease, arrhythmia and angina pectoris, with high blood pressure;
- with renal failure.
For example, liver disease prevents the blood from filtering normally and breaking down active compounds. This means that people with fibrosis, cirrhosis and liver failure need to be content with much smaller doses of caffeine so as not to overload the body, otherwise large doses of the energizing substance will be delivered to the nervous system. Excess theobromine can cause drowsiness.
Another reason is the exhaustion of the adrenal glands, which normally produce adrenaline. If the glands have nothing to release into the blood in response to stimulation by caffeine, the body will only more clearly sense the lack of strength and protest.
In these cases, the stimulant acts on a tired body that does not have the resources for activation. A natural reaction in such a state is the desire to restore strength, that is, to sleep or eat something. Sometimes coffee not only makes you sleepy, but also wakes up a strong appetite.
After illnesses, lack of sleep and stress, it is better to replace coffee with herbal or fruit tea. You should not choose soothing drugs, like chamomile or mint, but neutral and tonic ones, for example, thyme, lemon or currants. A vitamin cocktail will truly give you strength and help you recover.
Stimulant overdose
One of the reasons why caffeine stops activating the body may be an overdose of the substance. On the one hand, there is a threshold for the action of the stimulant: as already mentioned, it is enough to drink 1-2 cups for the drink to act for 4-6 hours. Exceeding this dose will overload the nervous system and liver.
The human body is programmed to maintain balance. When a stimulant is taken in excessive quantities, the body becomes accustomed to its effects and creates compensatory mechanisms. Because of this, you have to increase the portion in order to tone the nervous system, and over time, coffee no longer invigorates.
In such cases, it is necessary to give up the drink for a while. In 2-4 weeks, all receptors will be restored and the “power” of your favorite coffee will again become high.
On the other hand, there is general overwork of the body, when the nervous system does not have enough strength to react to a dose of caffeine with activity. Then the opposite effect occurs - lethargy and lethargy. And an overdose in the form of an extra cup can completely “turn off” the system, just as traffic jams are knocked out when there is an overvoltage in the electrical network.
Then there is no point in drinking one serving after another. It's better to keep sweet coffee and some nuts near your work area and sip a little at a time while supporting your brain with nutritious snacks.
Coffee quality
Finally, the effect of the drink largely depends on its class. Elite grain blends, as a rule, give a pleasant sensation and do not cause discomfort. A low-grade product most often provokes heartburn and has an unpredictable effect on the nerves.
Instant coffee often makes you sleepy because it lacks the caffeine component , but more often than not, such a drink is simply ineffective. Coffee is one of those products that you shouldn’t skimp on to maintain your health, and it’s better to avoid cheap raw materials in favor of herbal tea.
When should you drink coffee before bed?
There is one situation in which coffee before bed is recommended for almost everyone. If you drink a cup of coffee and go to bed for 20 minutes, you have every chance of falling asleep well and being invigorated. This is sometimes done by people who work on complex schedules, at night, or take on a large amount of work per day, as well as by students who urgently need to learn everything in the world.
A person falls asleep if he wants to sleep. During this time, you can just fall into a shallow sleep and let your brain relax, at least for a while. After 20 minutes, the effect of caffeine begins, and it already inhibits the production of “sleepy” hormones. That is, the effect of double vigor is obtained. 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.
If you then have the opportunity to sleep, it is better not to drink the last cup for 5-6 hours. If you need to continue your active life in the morning, drink so as not to sleep at all.
What to do if coffee makes you sleepy
If coffee drinks cause lethargy, you need to reconsider your diet and lifestyle, and perhaps even consult a doctor. With good general health, drowsiness from drinking coffee can occur only if the body is tired: the person has not had enough sleep or is in a state of chronic stress or illness.
When large doses of the drink cause weakness and lethargy, it is necessary to temporarily abandon it. Warming up, walking in the fresh air or ventilating the room will help awaken the body. If such measures do not help, then the nervous system really needs rest and it’s better to get some sleep.
When you feel sleepy with coffee, you can try one of the options to cheer yourself up:
- switch to tea drinks;
- give up coffee and tea to allow the body to take a break from caffeine and recover;
- move more and breathe fresh air;
- drink clean water to reduce the concentration of active substances in the body.
Caffeine and theobromine also sometimes interact with certain medications, causing drowsiness or insomnia. In such cases, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist. Perhaps they cannot be combined.
How to fall asleep after a nightcap
If coffee causes a rapid heartbeat, trembling hands, increased blood pressure, anxiety, or interferes with sleep, just drink a glass of clean water - this will help cleanse the blood.
Fresh air and a herbal pillow or aromatherapy with soothing oil can also help you fall asleep. Just apply a couple of drops to your wrists and massage your temples.
Coffee and sleep quality are not as closely related as you might think. When the body needs rest, you should not torture it with “magic remedies”. A fragrant drink, first of all, should bring sensual pleasure, and not become a subject of painful addiction. Live in harmony and enjoy delicious coffee recipes.
