Coffee causes insomnia at night? Share your coping methods

Why coffee causes sleepless nights

Coffee is a common drink that contains a stimulant called caffeine. When people consume too much caffeine, it can produce an exciting and refreshing effect. However, if you drink coffee in the evening, especially close to bedtime, it may cause insomnia at night.

1. Effects of caffeine on sleep

Caffeine can stimulate the central nervous system and inhibit adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a chemical that regulates sleep and wakefulness. It inhibits excitatory neuronal activity in the brain and promotes relaxation and sleepiness. When we consume too much caffeine, it competes with adenosine receptors for binding sites and prevents adenosine from working.

This means that after consuming large amounts of caffeine, we feel more alert and excited. This stimulating effect can last for several hours or even longer, making it difficult for us to fall asleep.

2. Caffeine Half-Life

The half-life of caffeine refers to how long it takes the body to break it down and excrete it after it is ingested. Generally speaking, the half-life of caffeine is about 3-5 hours. This means that if you drink a cup of coffee containing 200 mg of caffeine in the evening, there will still be 100 mg of caffeine in your body around 1 a.m.

Because caffeine has a stimulating effect on the human body and it stays in the body for a long time, drinking large amounts of caffeinated beverages at night can affect our ability to fall asleep and maintain good sleep quality.

3. Ways to deal with insomnia at night

Although drinking too many caffeinated beverages may cause a sleepless night, there are some things you can do to combat this problem:

a. Limit intake

First of all, you should pay attention to controlling the amount of drinks containing large amounts or high concentrations of caffeine (such as espresso, energy drinks) you consume. Try to avoid drinking coffee or other caffeinated drinks in the evening.

b. Time control

If you do need to drink coffee, try to consume it in the morning or early afternoon to give your body enough time to metabolize and excrete it.

c. Alternative options

If you're craving a hot drink but don't want to consume too much caffeine, you can choose alternatives such as decaffeinated tea, herbal tea, or hot chocolate. These drinks usually do not contain stimulants and have no obvious effect on sleep.

4. Develop good sleeping habits

In addition to limiting intake and time control, you should also develop good sleep habits:

a. Regular work and rest schedule

Maintain a regular schedule with consistent wake-up and bedtimes every day. This can help your body establish a stable biological clock and improve your sleep quality.

b. Relax before bed

Try to avoid stimulating activities and using electronic devices before going to bed. You can choose to do some relaxing activities, such as listening to music, taking a hot bath, or meditating, which can help relax your body and mind and promote sleep.

c. Comfortable environment

Make sure your sleeping environment is quiet, comfortable, and dark. Use a suitable mattress and pillow, and keep the room at a comfortable temperature.

in conclusion

Caffeine is one of the common causes of insomnia at night. In order to get a good sleep quality, we should limit the amount of caffeinated drinks we consume and pay attention to time control. In addition, it is also very important to develop good sleeping habits.

By adjusting our eating habits and lifestyle appropriately, we can better cope with coffee-induced insomnia at night and improve our sleep quality.