{"id":83231,"date":"2024-02-17T14:44:01","date_gmt":"2024-02-17T12:44:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.caffeinedude.com\/?p=83231"},"modified":"2024-02-17T14:44:01","modified_gmt":"2024-02-17T12:44:01","slug":"why-do-i-sleep-after-drinking-coffee","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.caffeinedude.com\/why-do-i-sleep-after-drinking-coffee\/","title":{"rendered":"Why Do I Sleep After Drinking Coffee"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n

For many people, drinking coffee and then sleeping almost immediately after is a mystery. It is one of the unexplained rituals that we perform unknowingly on a daily basis. It is widely accepted that coffee is a stimulant, increasing alertness and cognitive performance; something that should increase energy levels and make sleep unnecessary. So why do we feel so sleepy after drinking coffee?<\/p>\n

It is first important to understand caffeine itself. Caffeine is a naturally occurring stimulant molecule found in coffee, tea and highly caffeinated drinks such as Red Bull and Monster. It works by blocking adenosine, which is a hormone that our bodies naturally produce to signal that we are feeling drowsy. This means that drinking coffee can give us the perception of being energized and less fatigued, making us more alert and focused. However, once the effects of the caffeine have worn off and the levels of adenosine have increased again, we can therefore start to feel tired and drowsy.<\/p>\n

We are also influenced by the habits and rituals we form. Consumption of coffee is often associated with comfort and can be used to reward ourselves after completing a task, or mark the start of a shift at work. This comfort signaling can help to explain why we might feel tired after drinking coffee as our body is expecting the diversion from its natural routine. This is further supported by our body’s biological clock. Caffeine consumption can have an effect on our circadian rhythm, shifting it by a few hours, which could also explain why we feel tired after coffee.<\/p>\n

Research has further highlighted how coffee consumption can impact our sleep quality and duration. Studies have suggested that caffeine can have a significantly negative effect on insomnia, reducing sleep duration by approximately 1 hour, as well as increasing the number of times we wake up during the night. It is also suggested that slowly building up a tolerance to caffeine can help us to reduce the effects on our sleep patterns.<\/p>\n