Perhaps the most common stereotype about coffee is that you shouldn’t drink it at night before bed. But loyal fans of this drink often ignore such recommendations, because the temperamental drink affects everyone differently. There are even those for whom drinking coffee has a sleeping pill effect. The question of the effect of coffee on normal sleep is worthy of careful consideration, since it is determined by the characteristics of the human body and directly correlates with the state of health. In the article I will tell you how much you can drink before bed and who should not drink it at night.
Is it possible to have coffee before bed?
There is no consensus on whether you can drink coffee before bed. This is primarily due to the fact that all people are different and for approximately 5 percent of them caffeine has no effect. The body simply does not perceive it. At the same time, the effect on human sleep is demonstrated by other substances contained in the drink. Therefore, drowsiness appears, a feeling of peace, and relaxation occurs.
For people who drink a maximum of two cups of coffee per day, caffeine has a pronounced effect.
Therefore, they often experience insomnia. The alkaloid leads to blocking of certain neurotransmitters, reduces the concentration of adenosine and melatonin (hormones responsible for the feeling of fatigue and quality of sleep). It is not possible to fall asleep for a long time.
For true coffee lovers who drink at least five cups of coffee a day, caffeine has a completely different effect. They do not experience any sleep disturbances. The body gets used to the alkaloid and ceases to perceive its invigorating effect. Therefore, drinking a cup of coffee before going to bed will not affect the quality of your night's rest.
…for dinner
— Espresso is good after dinner. Espresso is generally recognized as one of the best digestifs (drinks that are served at the end of a meal and contribute to its better absorption. - Editor's note). You ate too much - drank espresso - sleep well! At home, again, you can drink a big cup of coffee: filter coffee, etc.
In Russia, it is more common to drink tea after dinner, since Russia is still considered a “tea” country. But residents of “coffee” countries (for example, Italians) drink coffee from early morning until late at night. They drink in the morning to wake up, and late at night - after a noisy and long dinner - to sleep better. But coffee is even more popular in Scandinavian countries. And the people here look good, they have a normal complexion, and so on... This is about the harm or benefit of coffee.
Why you shouldn't drink coffee at night
The effect of caffeine on the body of people varies. However, in the course of a number of medical studies, it was possible to find out that in any case, an invigorating drink drunk in the evening affects the human nervous system and the quality of night's rest. In this case, sleep simply cannot be deep. The result is a deterioration in psycho-emotional and physical condition, a feeling of exhaustion in the morning.
Doctors strongly do not recommend drinking coffee before bed. The maximum allowed time for a cup of strong espresso is six o'clock in the evening. Due to this, it will be possible to protect the nervous system and avoid insomnia.
What will help you fall asleep
A cup of your favorite drink is still drunk, and now your body doesn’t want to fall asleep. In this case, it is necessary to neutralize the invigorating effect of coffee.
There are several recipes for how to positively influence the body:
- Drink warm milk with honey and cinnamon, it helps break down caffeine;
- Take a warm shower, give yourself a foot massage and put on warm socks;
- Relax by reading a book or scrolling through the news feed on your phone. The monotonous change of letters and pictures is similar to meditation and helps you fall asleep quickly;
- Get some fresh air. You don’t have to go for a night walk, just open a window or go out onto the balcony, 15 minutes will be enough.
Before going to bed, it is advisable to take a walk or get some fresh air.
What happens if you drink coffee before going to bed?
Disputes about the benefits and harms of coffee drink among scientists and true coffee lovers do not stop to this day. At the same time, it has been scientifically proven that coffee not only leads to sleep problems, but also negatively affects circadian rhythms. Under its influence, natural time ceases to correspond to the internal clock. When the alkaloid interacts with neural brain receptors, overexcitation is noted.
Scientists say that coffee drunk in the evening, when the body is already preparing for bed, is dangerous to health.
Failures in the biological clock lead to consequences such as hormonal imbalance, immune suppression, and decreased activity of various body systems.
In addition, the discrepancy between natural and internal rhythms causes increased sensitivity to insulin. Intensive uptake of glucose by cells is noted. As a result, excess weight appears.
Caffeine and its effects on human sleep
Coffee can cause insomnia
Caffeine can make a person fast and strong, attentive and smart, but despite the visible advantages, it also has undeniable disadvantages. Few people know that the aromatic drink in large quantities causes a serious psychological state, which includes panic and anxiety. Everyone knows that drinking coffee at night is harmful.
A well-known side effect of drinking black coffee at night is that it disrupts a person's sleep. Some people are able to drink this drink in large quantities late at night and still sleep well. Some people should moderate their consumption of black coffee after lunch, because the drink has an stimulating effect on the body and leads to insomnia.
Important! Another mystery of caffeine is the temporary increase in sleepiness in humans in some cases. In everyday life, scientists and doctors recommend limiting the consumption of coffee drinks for people who have difficulty falling asleep.
When should you drink a drink before bed?
Drinking coffee before bed is acceptable when working on complex schedules, at night, and when you need to perform a large amount of work. A cup of strong espresso will help energize your body and invigorate you, especially if after drinking it you go to sleep for only twenty minutes.
If you have a strong desire to fall asleep, you will be able to quickly fall into sleep, but in such a short period of time it will not be deep. But I manage to relax at least for a while. Just in twenty minutes, caffeine will begin to act and stop the synthesis of sleep hormones. This way you will receive a double boost of energy.
According to this principle, you can drink a coffee drink every five hours. The main thing is to get a full rest at the first opportunity.
How to replace an invigorating drink
If you're unsure whether caffeinated liquids will affect your well-being, drink liquids that have a similar aroma and taste before bed instead.
A good option is natural chicory. This drink normalizes metabolism, cleanses the kidneys, and improves well-being in diabetes. Chicory is a short-term tonic, but taking it does not impair the quality of sleep.
The next worthy substitute is barley tea. It contains vitamins, selenium, potassium, amino acids. The drink helps the body produce collagen. If you use it regularly, your skin becomes elastic and your hair becomes stronger. Barley tea strengthens the nerves without stimulating brain activity and thins the blood.
How to fall asleep faster under the influence of caffeine
Sometimes you have to drink coffee at night, even knowing about its negative effects on the body during this time period. To ensure that your sleep is not disturbed, you need to adhere to certain recommendations. Among them:
- drink warm milk with honey and cinnamon. This drink helps calm the nervous system and sets you up for relaxation;
- dim the lights and read an interesting book in silence. Such manipulations will help you relax and fall asleep faster;
- turn on soothing music, which will have a beneficial effect on the nervous system;
- closing your eyes, try to relax, not think about the coming day. It is best to mentally imagine pleasant landscapes, reproducing in your head the smells and sounds that may accompany the imagined picture.
It is not recommended to drink coffee in the evening. However, there is no strict prohibition. The main thing is to listen to your body and follow the recommendations for organizing your regime.
Due to this, it will be possible to prevent the occurrence of insomnia and many other negative changes. The best option closer to bedtime is a coffee drink with milk. The additional component will help minimize the effect of the alkaloid. This way you can immediately fall asleep and ensure yourself a good night's rest.
For whom coffee is contraindicated in any case?
The list of main contraindications includes:
- sleep disorders;
- lactation;
- any mental disorders;
- gastrointestinal pathologies;
- glaucoma;
- Iron-deficiency anemia;
- liver pathologies accompanied by a decrease in the functional activity of the organ;
- uncontrolled hypertension.
Drinking coffee is contraindicated while breastfeeding.
The drink should be used with caution in case of cardiovascular pathologies. In this case, you must obtain a doctor's permission. It is advisable to avoid the product during pregnancy and smoking.
It is forbidden to drink coffee while using certain antidepressants and oral contraceptives.
Alternative to a coffee drink at night
With the question about the benefits and harms of coffee at night, everything is clear, but how can a student who is taking a session and studying the material not fall asleep at night without coffee? Chicory will be a complete replacement for an invigorating drink. It normalizes metabolism and cleanses the kidneys.
Another suitable analogue is barley coffee. Thanks to this drink, the human body is able to produce more collagen, thereby improving the condition of human skin and hair.
A strong coffee drink in the evening and at night will not be a suitable solution for people who are used to taking care of their health and feeling cheerful in the morning. Drink coffee before bed only occasionally, unless absolutely necessary.
Details of the evening menu
Late dinner has a number of restrictions. Of course, we are not talking about a full meal. It's like a late-night snack to improve your metabolism and promote sound sleep.
- Choose foods that are easy to digest . Dinner should not include fried or too fatty foods, because they take a lot of time to digest. But dishes that are steamed and cooked in water are available in the evening. You can also eat foods baked in foil.
- Choose warm food for the last meal before bed , this is the key to a restful sleep. Allow yourself some long carbohydrates, they will calm your brain.
- The importance of the main amino acid tryptophan for sleep has long been scientifically proven. It is involved in the production of melatonin (regulator of biorhythms) and serotonin (responsible for emotional well-being). The source of tryptophan is protein: hard and processed cheeses, crabs and shrimp, chicken, rabbit, turkey, and legumes. It is found in eggs, cottage cheese, and cereals. In order for the amino acid to reach the brain, complex carbohydrates are also needed. Therefore, the interaction of long carbohydrates with proteins is a direct path to the brain and restful sleep.
Other tryptophan foods include seeds and nuts, honey and bananas. A spoonful of honey with a small amount of low-fat milk is an ideal recipe for sleep, especially for snorers.
- A sleep hormone such as melatonin is synthesized, in addition to the above products, by cherries and cherries, almonds and pine nuts. Whole grain bread is also good for this purpose.
The situation with melatonin will be improved by oatmeal, but be sure to eat porridge, do not confuse it with cereal. Such food is an exemplary mixture of protein compounds and long carbohydrates. But, it is important to always adhere to the permissible serving size. Overkill is unacceptable.
- Calcium is extremely important for conducting impulses along nerve fibers. In order not to spoil your sleep and make the muscles of the larynx work, eat dairy products with a small percentage of fat for dinner. Give preference to yogurt.
- Another factor that affects sleep is magnesium. To avoid violations, eat pumpkin seeds or spinach, peanuts or cashews for dinner.
What is prohibited? Avoid foods high in saturated fatty acids and heavy foods. You don't need to drink a lot of fluids in the evenings, as you will have to get up to go to the toilet too often at night. Remember, the best rest is uninterrupted sleep.
Do not include red meat, sausages, or offal in the evening menu. Chocolate and salted fish are not good for you in the evening. Also, avoid coffee and strong black tea at dinner.
But a little soothing chamomile or lemon balm tea is helpful. You can brew hawthorn fruits. It is useful for hypertension, which is often the cause of snoring.
