How do you start your day? For me, just like 90% of all humanity, it all starts with a delicious cup of coffee. That boost in alertness and wakefulness really helps me to kickstart my day. Coffee is not only a delicious hot beverage but also gives you a lot of health benefits – I’ll tell you more about these benefits in a moment.
Caffeine is the active ingredient in coffee that makes you feel so alert. This substance is naturally found in coffee beans, tea leaves, and cocoa beans. Caffeine is a stimulant, which is why it makes me feel alert and helps me get through the day.
Some research studies have also found that caffeine alleviates pain – but drink too much coffee at night, and you’ll be unable to sleep. Poor sleep equals more pain. You see, the connection between caffeine, sleep, and pain is complicated – like a cycle. Drink coffee, and you feel less pain, drink too much coffee, and you can’t sleep; if you don’t sleep enough, you feel more pain.
More than half of humanity starts its day with none other than – coffee. For some people, coffee is absolutely necessary, some drink coffee for just for the taste, and some drink coffee for the benefits that it can give us (which you will hear about later).
Caffeine is one of the most widely consumed substances on the planet. Naturally, caffeine is found in coffee beans and cocoa beans, as well as in tea leaves. Caffeine is considered a stimulant drug that helps you stay alert. In approximately 30 to 60 minutes after you have had a cup of coffee, the caffeine will reach its peak level in your bloodstream.
When you have a cup of coffee to close to bedtime, it could make falling asleep more difficult. In some cases, it can make falling asleep that difficult, that the next day, your boss might mistake you for a real-life zombie and get you out of the building.
When you suffer from poor sleep, you are prone to developing inflammation and suffering from more severe levels of pain.
The Effects of Caffeine on Sleep
Coffee has many benefits associated with it – when you find yourself out of energy in the middle of the day, having a cup of coffee and help you boost your performance and alleviate mental fatigue. It is important also to consider the adverse effects that this drug brings about. An increased rate of breathing, as well as an elevated heart rate, are very common amongst people who consume lots of coffee. Don’t forget the zombie part!
Another important side-effect that coffee and other caffeine-containing products hold only comes into play when you get into bed at night – wishing you did not have that last cup of coffee as you toss and turn but continue to fail at falling asleep. Yes, since caffeine is a stimulant, it will surely keep you awake and alert at night. Instead of sleeping, you’ll be wide-awake.
Getting enough sleeping hours is extremely important for all of us as we recover from the “damages” we suffered throughout the day. Never think of caffeine as a replacement for your need to sleep – even though it might help you stay awake, it will not be able to provide your body with the benefits that sleep can.
How Much Caffeine is Safe?
It is quite difficult to provide an accurate recommendation on just how many cups of this delicious, addictive drink you should have per day, as there are many factors to it. However, there is a general recommendation to limit your daily caffeine intake to around three to four cups of coffee per day.
Factors such as your weight also affect how much caffeine you can consume daily. People with heart disease, high blood pressure, and pregnant women are also advised to limit their caffeine intake more significantly.
It is also important to note that having a cup of coffee or tea, or consuming any product that contains caffeine, too late during the day will most likely affect your ability to fall asleep at night. Try to avoid any caffeine products at least six hours before you go to bed.
If you continuously forget to stop having a cup of coffee at night, then why not let Genie remind you six hours before you go to sleep to stop using caffeine. This will ensure you know when to stop taking caffeine and will lead to a more peaceful night.
