Caffeine: Its Impact on Your Body & Your Sleep

Coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cola, energy drinks … you might love them, but how is caffeine impacting your health – and your sleep?

Caffeine consumption is a daily part of life for so many of us – from the occasional cup of hot chocolate or block of Jamaica Gold to the regular barista coffees we love (and sometimes feel we need!). It influences how we feel, function, and sleep – and it’s not all good.

What is Caffeine?

A mild central nervous system stimulant, caffeine is a chemical that’s naturally found in the fruit, leaves, and beans of coffee, guarana, tea, and cacao plants. It’s also added to a lot of other things we consume, including sodas, energy drinks, and some supplements. Caffeine is also often added to common painkillers, especially those marketed for headache and migraine pain. 

How Does Caffeine Affect the Body?

When consumed, caffeine is absorbed quickly via the gut, and it ultimately dissolves in the body’s fat and water molecules. It is broken down (metabolised) in the body by the liver. 

Caffeine levels in the bloodstream are at their highest anytime between 15 minutes and 2 hours after it is consumed, and it crosses into the brain. Caffeine can remain in the bloodstream for 1.5 – 9.5 hours, depending on several factors. For example, smoking and vaping speed up its metabolism, while using oral contraceptives or being pregnant slows it down.

Having up to 1g (1000mg) of caffeine in the body can cause restlessness, jitters, nervousness, tremors, irritability, a rapid heart rate, and even vomiting in some people. Regular consumers of caffeine will likely develop a tolerance, and its stimulant effects will reduce more is consumed. 

Symptoms of caffeine withdrawal (if it’s suddenly stopped) may include headache, irritability, agitation, fatigue, and/or mood issues.

How Much Caffeine Am I Consuming?

Note that dark chocolate has 4 times the amount of caffeine as milk chocolate does. Herbal teas (tisanes) and white chocolate (made without cocoa solids) are caffeine-free.

Are There Any Health Benefits of Caffeine?

• Scientists have found that coffee drinkers are statistically less likely to die from coronary heart disease, stroke, diabetes, and kidney disease.

• Consuming caffeinated coffee has been found to lower one’s risk of liver disease including cirrhosis, liver fibrosis, and liver cancer. Higher caffeinated coffee consumption has also been associated with a lower risk of developing gallstones and gallbladder disease.

• Caffeine may provide some protection against developing Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and heart disease in women.

• People who regularly drink coffee may have a lower risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

• Migraines and some other types of headaches are caused or accompanied by inflammation of the blood vessels. Caffeine reduces inflammation and helps to narrow the blood vessels in the brain. This may help reduce pain – and while caffeine can cause headaches, having a strong cup of coffee or drink of cola (especially post-mix Coke) can help with headache and migraine pain.

• Female coffee drinkers are statistically 26% less likely to develop colon cancer.

• Even in low doses, caffeine may be helpful for people with asthma. It has also been used therapeutically in premature babies for breathing and development.

• Some studies have found that regularly drinking dark roast coffee may help prevent cancer and tumour formation at a molecular level by strengthening the DNA strands. 

*You do need to consider that some health benefits of drinking coffee and tea may be thanks to antioxidants and other beneficial substances rather than caffeine. 

Caffeine – What Are the Health Risks?

Consuming caffeine has been linked with certain health conditions, and the way people respond to and tolerate it can vary greatly. Genetics influence this. 

Proven potential risks of consuming caffeine include:

• Mood – drinking more than 2-3 cups of brewed/barista coffee per day can increase one’s feelings of anxiety, jitteriness, and nervousness. Overstimulation effects are also a consideration for people with existing anxiety or panic disorders. 

• Laxative effects – caffeine stimulates the large intestine (colon) and it’s common to need to use the bathroom (even urgently) after a cup of coffee. Large amounts, especially of strong coffee, can cause diarrhoea.

• Cardiovascular effects – caffeine stimulates the heart, temporarily speeding it up and increasing blood pressure and blood flow. So far, no link has been confirmed between caffeine and heart disease, stroke, or abnormal heartbeats.

• Bladder effects – caffeine increases activity in the bladder and this may result in urinary frequency, urgency, and even incontinence in some people.

• During pregnancy – caffeine consumed by a pregnant woman can remain in her blood for up to 15 hours and it crosses the placenta to enter the baby’s bloodstream. High levels of caffeine can remain in the developing baby for a long time. This can reduce blood flow and oxygen levels to the foetus and it may increase the risk of miscarriage and low birth weight. 

• Overuse of caffeine supplements can cause toxicity; this occurs after consuming 1.2g or more at once (consuming several energy drinks mixed with alcohol could potentially cause this). Up to 10g of caffeine in the body can cause vomiting and seizures; more than this can be fatal. 

The Impact of Caffeine on Sleep

88% of people who regularly consume caffeine in the afternoon report having problems with their sleep.

Caffeine inhibits sleep by actively blocking the effects of adenosine. 

Adenosine is a hormone that promotes deep sleep. Caffeine binds to adenosine receptors in the brain, reducing adenosine levels and also compromising the normal function of other sleep-influencing hormones including serotonin, dopamine, and norepinephrine (the first two of which also strongly influence mood). Furthermore, melatonin (another hormone that’s crucial to the sleep-wake cycle) is also broken down by the liver; it can be inhibited by the presence of caffeine.

How To Sleep Better After Consuming Caffeine

1. Avoid drinking coffee, tea, strong hot chocolate, sodas, and energy drinks on an empty stomach.

2. Limit your overall consumption to no more than 2-3 cups of coffee or black/green tea per day. Generally avoid energy drinks, and moderate drinking sodas (if you drink them at all).

3. Avoid consuming caffeine later in the day, especially close to bedtime. Ideally, don’t have any caffeine for 6-8 hours before you need to sleep. If you must drink coffee later in the day, choose decaffeinated.

4. Try to avoid consuming caffeine at all during pregnancy.

5. Optimise your exposure to natural morning light and implement good bedtime habits/sleep hygiene.

6. Exercise regularly (but not late in the evening).

Drinking coffee may be energising and mood-enhancing, and it can even make you feel like your performance is optimised. It’s important to ensure you do so in moderation: it’s not worth destroying your ability to sleep.

Breaking the addiction to caffeine and quitting altogether can offer some people distinct benefits: 

• Better sleep
• More stable moods
• Lower blood pressure
• Possible headache relief 
• Better balance of female hormones
• Possible weight loss (if you add sugar to tea/coffee or drink sodas or energy drinks)
• Improved oral health and whiter teeth
• Slow some signs of ageing

The Right Snoring Treatment Can Help with Sleep

Improving your quality of sleep for deeper, undisturbed rest is very important regardless of whether or not your caffeine consumption is influencing your sleep. Using an effective snoring mouthpiece such as the ApneaRx snoring treatment in NZ might be the solution you’re seeking.

The device is worn in the mouth during sleep. It works by moving the position of the lower jaw slightly forward, alleviating or even preventing snoring by opening the airways, facilitating smoother breathing and a better, quieter sleep.

ApneaRx has also been clinically tested to treat symptoms associated with mild to moderate sleep apnea for a healthier, deeper night’s sleep for people who have been diagnosed with this medical condition. 

You deserve better sleep! Get some facts about ApneaRx and purchase yours today.