Caffeine and sleep
Today we will talk all about caffeine and it’s effect on sleep.
Caffeine its a big no-no when It comes to sleep. It’s a huge disruptor and for good reason. It’s one of those things I would avoid giving your children at all costs at least 5-7 hours (or even more) before going to bed. And yes, it’s true, some people are not as affected by caffeine and can fall asleep in seconds right after a cup of coffee, but I still don’t recommend it, as it can still affect their nighttime sleep, and why risk it?
How does caffeine affect sleep?
Caffeine is a stimulant which means it increases activity in your brain and nervous system. It also increases cortisol and adrenaline in your body which are not going to be helpful at all for sleep. We definitely don’t want cortisol and adrenaline pumping through our bodies when we are trying to settle down for the night.
Caffeine masks a very important chemical or neurotransmitter called adenosine (also known as sleep pressure), which builds up in the body during our awake hours and fuels a person’s drive to sleep. Caffeine blocks this process from happening and masks adenosine, preventing it from binding, making you feel very alert and awake. It essentially prevents drowsiness from occurring while sleep pressure is building.
So interestingly, underneath the surface, you still have sleep pressure building and you are still going to be very tired once the caffeine wears off, hence the infamous ‘caffeine crash’, when the adenosine comes rushing in with full force and with an even stronger urge to sleep than before.
Caffeine can cause insomnia, it can make you feel jittery or anxious and prevent you from settling down and the overall loss of sleep can be detrimental to daytime function.
How long does caffeine last in the body?
Caffeine has what is called a half life of about 5-7 hours, which means that after 5-7 hours of consuming caffeine, your body has only gotten rid of half of it, so it still has 50% or so to go! You can imagine how this would be a major sleep disruptor.
So let’s say you have a cup of coffee at 6:30 pm, by 12:30 midnight, your body has only have gotten rid of half of that caffeine.
Caffeine can be found in other items as well
Keep in mind that coffee is not the only thing containing caffeine, there are a lot of things that contain caffeine that you should be weary of, like:
Cocoa powder (in any form including hot cocoa, cacao, chocolate, cereal, cake, snacks, etc…)
Certain drugs or medications.
Energy drinks
Tea and tea leaves
Sodas, Etc...
So if you have been giving your child any of these food items during the day or close to bedtime, I highly recommend swapping them out for something else. If they are used to having hot cocoa after school at around 4:00 pm, maybe give them a hot tea instead, or a glass of warm milk.
Be mindful of those pesky snacks that sneak cocoa into the ingredients to avoid a caffeine rush. Trust me, you will thank me later after you realize how much caffeine has an affect on your child’s behavior and their ability to sleep.
