Coffee, Sleep and You - Does coffee really interfere in sleep, and if yes, what you can do!
by Susan D'Addario,
Certified Sleep Science Coach
Certified Mind Body Eating Coach
Licensed HeartMath Certified Coach
Introduction
Coffee is one of America’s all-time favorite beverages! Is it true though that it detrimentally impacts sleep? In this article, we’ll look broad stroke at coffee and caffeine, to understand what may be challenging when it comes to enjoying our most beloved cup of Joe!
We’ll focus on what caffeine is, where it’s found, how much is safe to consume, as well as its half-life duration, and which coffee brand contains the highest amount of caffeine. Moreover, we’ll look at what you can do to mediate daytime jitters and nighttime sleep challenges.
Caffeine – The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
Let’s start at the beginning. Caffeine is a stimulant and a natural substance found in nuts – coffee beans, cacao beans and kola nuts – as well as tea leaves, primarily. We get the bulk of our daily caffeine from beverages and the #1 drink by far that contains caffeine is coffee.
Caffeine in moderation offers a variety of benefits to the average adult. In addition to the comfort and pleasure experienced by many when holding a warm cup of coffee and taking in its aroma, caffeine in general enhances our ability to focus, concentrate and feel energized. When it comes to the daily total caffeine level which is safe to consume, the FDA advises 400mg maximum. This equates to approximately four 8 oz. cups of coffee a day.
While it’s true that certain individuals are less sensitive to caffeine than others, it’s equally clear that going beyond the FDA’s 400mg recommendation can be quite problematic for many. In addition to potentially causing insomnia and/or jeopardizing the quality of sleep, (having too much caffeine in our system reduces delta or deep sleep), excess caffeine can also increase our heart rate and respiration, as well as cause agitation, stomach irritation, restlessness, nervousness, and other detrimental side effects.
Not All Coffee Contains the Same Amount of Caffeine
Darker roasted coffee beans tend to have less caffeine compared to medium and light roasted. Moreover, caffeine content varies significantly amongst coffee brands. While an average 8 oz. cup of coffee contains approximately 125mg of caffeine, have a look at caffeine levels contained in the following popular coffee sellers:
Starbucks – 165mg
Dunkin’ Donuts – 120mg
McDonalds – 75mg
As you will note, Starbucks coffee has more than twice the amount of caffeine compared to Mc Donald’s McCafe, while Dunkin’ Donuts coffee falls well within the average range. Of interest is people seem to value coffees with higher caffeine content. As a result, the more highly caffeinated the coffee, the more money we are willing to spend.
Also, important to keep in mind is that few coffee drinkers use a traditional 8-oz. cup these days. Rather, 16-oz. is frequently the medium-sized coffee option. Now, imagine this - drinking just 1 Starbuck’s Grande sized coffee which contains 330mg of caffeine is just about the maximum amount of daily recommended caffeine! Yikes!
Caffeine’s 6-Hour Half Life
All substances have what is known as a half-life, or how long it takes for that substance to work its way out of one’s system. In the average adult, it takes 6-hours for caffeine to reduce by half in their body. The half-life range of caffeine is approximately 3 to 9 hours depending upon one’s age and other factors. The older one becomes, the more hours needed for caffeine to reduce.
Here’s how a 6-hour half -life might play out when drinking a 16 oz. Starbucks Grande coffee at 8am:
8am - 330mg
2pm - 165mg
8pm - 80mg
2am - 40mg
8am - 20mg
I reiterate; the above chart is a recording of the caffeine half-life for just one 16 oz. cup of Starbucks coffee! As noted, it takes 24-hours for caffeine levels to come down to close to 0mg in one’s body. If the coffee- drinking individual has a 10pm bedtime, they would go to sleep with close to 60mg of caffeine in their system. According to Sleep Doctor, Michael Breus, Ph.D., one should attempt to have no more than 25 to 50mg of caffeine in their body at bedtime or jeopardize their sleep quality.
Other Caffeine Factors
From the moment we wake up until the moment we go to sleep, our brain releases a sleep-inducing neurochemical known as adenosine. This chemical accumulates throughout the day in adenosine receptors and the more adenosine collected, the greater our nighttime sleepiness.
Amazingly though, caffeine and adenosine are only 1 molecule apart in appearance! As a result, adenosine receptors also permit caffeine adhesion. Consequently, the more coffee and other caffeine containing products are consumed and adhere to adenosine receptors, the more adenosine is blocked.
By the end of the day if we’ve consumed a significant amount of coffee/caffeine, we are left with significantly reduced adenosine levels and greatly increased caffeine – a stimulant. The result of decreased sleep quality should be no surprise. For those who are already stressed and more sensitive to caffeine, they may have great challenges falling and/or staying asleep.
Have Your Coffee and Sleep Well Too!
Despair not, as all is not lost! Yes, there are ways to enjoy your coffee and to sleep well too!
Here are 6 strategies to enjoy your coffee without severely sacrificing sleep quality:
Change coffee brand – (Give yourself a few weeks to adjust to the new coffee.)
Avoid jumbo cups – (Consider getting a small size coffee.)
Mix in decaf coffee – (This will not change the coffee flavor.)
Limit to 2 cups – (Nurse your coffee as 1 cup may become sufficient over time.)
Stop by 2pm - (My preference is to stop by noon and then switch to decaf.)
Substitute tea - (Tea has about a third the amount of caffeine compared to coffee.)
Conclusion
By the end of this article, you should have a clearer idea of what caffeine is and how and why it can impact and indeed impede your sleep. When enjoying your coffee, bear in mind that certain slight modifications can go a long way when it comes to better sleep – drink early in the day, limit the amount you consume, change your coffee brand, blend in decaffeinated coffee, and consider tea as an option. Following these simple techniques should be a consideration for all who want to improve their nightly sleep and overall well-being!