Coffee is mostly preeminent for its arousing effects. However when it comes to trying to fall asleep after drinking coffee, the energizing effects of caffeine play a role in one’s difficulty to drift off to dreamland. The sleep disrupting video game of coffee has two main facets, first, the dramatic rush of energy from rise in caffeine levels and second is the lack of sleep causing relapse throughout the day. With the added effects of stress and fatigue mixed with your caffeine laced system, the mind can be left in a state of confusion, preventing you from hitting the off switch.
How to solve the dilemma of what to do after having caffeinated drinks when you would like to sleep? The most evident but yet strong solution of this issue is to avoid caffeine late in the day. To be exact, try and keep caffeine drinks to three or four hours before bed. By doing this it will provide your body a sufficient amount of time to process the coffee and allow you to fall asleep when the time comes.
The recommended maximum intake of coffee daily is usually around 4 cups. Anymore than that and you may have a harder time sleeping. Make sure you are aware of the exact amount of caffeine content in each cup of coffee as different coffee grounds and drinks can contain different amounts and adjust accordingly. Try to avoid coffee as much as you can and opt for alternate decaffeinated drinks. A cup of herbal tea, such as chamomile and valerian for example can help settle your nervous system and help you relax.
A few other simple approaches to saying goodnight to the coffee jitters can be summarized as follows: exercise, shower and cognitive control. Regular exercise, which does not necessarily mean an intense gym workout, has a great influence on the quality of sleep. Additionally, moderate cool showers can help relax the muscles and sedate the mind before retirement. Lastly, cognitive control, or the psychological practice of being aware and regulating one’s thought processes can also help reduce stress and ultimately aid in getting to bed at a reasonable time.
To sum up, drinking coffee late in the day can disrupt your regular sleeping routine if the appropriate actions are not taken. Making sure you are aware of the caffeine content in your coffee, avoiding it close to bedtime and look for alternative drinks that are decaffeinated are some of the main tips to help you sleep. Exercise, shower and cognitive control can be beneficial to you in order to induce a good night’s sleep.
Herbal Tea Alternatives
An effective way to combat the effects of caffeine on your sleep is to drink herbal tea. Used as part of an overall strategy in improving your sleep, herbal tea is a great natural way to relax in the evening. It is far lower in caffeine than coffee or black tea, so it won’t keep you up at night as a regular cup of joe might. Herbal tea can be found in a wide range of flavors and blends that can also be blended in with other natural ingredients. Even just a single cup of herbal tea can soothe the senses and help you achieve a good night’s sleep.
Incorporating herbal teas into your pre-bedtime routine can be an ideal way to help jump-start the relaxation process. By having a designated time for relaxation and drinking herbal tea, your body can become familiar with that routine and learn when it’s time to begin the sleep process. Chamomile tea is perhaps the best known of the herbal teas, as it has long been used as a mild sedative and sleep aid. If you need to focus and clear your mind, rosehip tea is a stimulating way to do so. Another popular tea blends include lavender, peppermint, passionflower, valerian root, which you can purchase in blend bags or loose leaf to create a custom brew.
If tea is not your thing, taking a bath or shower with a few drops of essential oils can provide a relaxing atmosphere. Essentials oils such as lavender and chamomile are especially effective in relaxing the body while jasmine and ylang-ylang can act as an aphrodisiac. Enjoying a bath or shower with thes oils can help to prepare the body for a good night’s sleep.
Creating A Sleep Environment
The environment in which you sleep can directly influence the quality of sleep you achieve and the amount of stress relief you get from it. Investing in comfortable bedding and avoiding distractions such as light and noise can help create a more relax and conducive pre-bedtime atmosphere. Taking steps to insulate the bedroom from external noise by using blackout curtains and/or ear plugs can come handy in creating a conducive sleep environment. You should also look to create a peaceful atmosphere in the bedroom through lining up the space with calming artwork, an air purifier, a quality sound system and even a yoga space.
Creating an inviting environment where you can rest peacefully is key to a good night’s sleep. Aromatherapy and essential oils are one of the oldest and most natural methods used to induce sleep. Diffusing essential oils such as lavender, chamomile, or jasmine can help fill the bedroom with a soothing scent. These scents have been believed to have a soothing and calming effect on the brain.
Although this environment is mainly meant to induce sleep, you can also do a few other activities that can help you prepare for a good night’s rest. Reading a book, indulging in a hobby, or writing in a journal are just some of the activities that you can do to sleep more effectively. Engaging in these activities can create less mental activity and help you to relax.
Mindful Exercises
Apart from looking at physical and environmental strategies to improve sleep, engaging in mindful exercises can be a great way to free your mind from the worries of the day, and start to draw focus to the present moment. Carving out thirty minutes of time to practice yoga can be incredibly beneficial for both a physical and mental need. Having a yoga practice after coffee in the morning can help you physically detox your body. These movements will stretch and strengthen the body while nourishing the muscles and joints.
Meditation can also be a great way to clear the mind. Practicing mindfulness through meditation allows you to be in the present moment and can even help reduce stress and anxiety. Mindful meditations can be calming and can help relax the mind and body before bedtime. Activities such as mindful breathing exercises, progressive muscle relaxation, or breath visualization can be great tools for self-regulation and can help prepare the body for its shut down process.
Using breathing techniques to generate a sense of calmness can be useful in creating a conducive pre-bedtime atmosphere. Progressive muscle relaxation and visualization are two types of relaxation techniques used to help reduce muscle tension and calm the mind. By focusing attention on different regions of the body, one can become aware of any physical signs of tension, allowing for deep relaxation to occur naturally.
Sleep Hygiene
To get the best sleep possible and make sure the caffeine effects don’t keep you up all night, it is important to start putting into practice good sleep hygiene. This means avoiding the late night caffeine habits, setting your bedtime to the same time each night, minimizing exposure to light and noise, avoiding caffeine after 4 p.m., and investing in comfortable bedding. Creating a pre-bedtime ritual can be one of the most important steps to help with good sleep hygiene. Keeping a consistent ritual will help tell your body that it is time for sleep, and will make it easier to transition into sleep after a long day.
Other practices that can help in promoting good sleep hygiene are avoiding naps in the day, unplugging devices before bed, avoiding activities that may be too stimulating before bed, and steering clear of nicotine, alcohol or large meals before bedtime. All of these habits can draw focus away from the sleep process, making it more difficult to fall asleep or have a good night’s rest.
Creating an ideal sleep environment and following a regular sleep routine can make a huge difference in the quality of the sleep you get. Furthermore, it is important to wind down before bed and avoid engaging in activities that are too stimulating, such as screens and consuming caffeine late at night.
