Chapter 2
Caffeine is a stimulant, and we know that caffeine keeps us alert and makes us feel more awake. There are other features of caffeine that are likely to be more unfamiliar with most individuals. Caffeine will still be active for 5–6 hours after consuming it, and has a quarter-life of 12 hours. This caffeine can be circulating in your brain at midnight. The second feature of caffeine is how it affects our sleep. I have had individuals tell me throughout my research that they can drink coffee close to dinner and still fall asleep. Even if that is true, caffeine can decrease the amount of deep sleep we have, or stages 3 and 4. You wake up the next morning and do not feel fresh, but rather sluggish. This can turn into a cycle of consuming more caffeine to counteract the effects it has on deep sleep.
Some individuals say that they are really sensitive to caffeine, or others can consume many cups of coffee and feel fine. Earlier in chapter 1, I talked about how adenosine builds up throughout the day, and both of these substances interact very uniquely. Caffeine interacts with adenosine by blocking receptors of adenosine. It is telling your brain you are not tired, silencing the adenosine in your body.
That adenosine in your body, however, has not disappeared; it actually kept building. So when you are working late into the night trying to finish a paper or a project, and you are consuming caffeinated drinks, you will go back to the same level of sleepiness once the caffeine washes out of your system, on top of the increased amount of adenosine in your system. A caffeinated crash.
I drink coffee, and I find myself more productive and lively after. When drinking caffeine, the science suggests that drinking caffeine is optimal after you have been awake for more than 90 minutes. Be cognizant of your caffeine consumption, and prioritize sleep before resorting to those unhealthy energy drinks.
Many adults enjoy a glass of wine in the evening to unwind and relax. There are studies that show that a glass of alcohol before you sleep will result in much larger changes in your sleep. People frequently mistakenly believe that alcohol is a sleep aid.
Alcohol is a sedative
It will disrupt your sleep, and you will wake up more throughout the night. It leads to poor quality of sleep. The awakenings triggered by alcohol are brief, so you often will not remember waking up as many times as you did during the night triggered by alcohol. Alcohol most effectively suppresses the duration of REM sleep. This stage of sleep is critical for restoring your emotional health, and people who have more REM sleep tend to live longer.
To summarize, stay away from caffeine in the late afternoon if possible. Be very aware of the timing of consumption, and have a cut off period. If you have a drink at night, keep a regular bed time and wake up time.
Regularity is king
If you are consistent with your timing, you will have a body that can better manage the amount of NREM and REM sleep you get.
