Why do you want to sleep after coffee and how to deal with it

What explains the energizing effect of caffeine?

To ensure the vital activity of the cells of the human body, energy is needed, which is released when bonds in ATP (adenosine triphosphoric acid) molecules are broken. The greater the load on the body, the faster ATP molecules decompose into adenosine and phosphates.

When there is too much adenosine in cells (that is, ATP reserves are depleted), adenosine receptors in the brain signal fatigue. The processes of “inhibition” are launched, during rest time ATP is synthesized and accumulated in the body, and after some time the person is again ready for work.

However, caffeine has the property of blocking adenosine receptors. As a result, a person stops feeling tired, and the body begins to draw energy from “emergency reserves.” Coffee invigorates, but if you drink too much of it, ATP reserves do not have time to be restored, and over time, depletion occurs.

Additional Resources

Drake S, Rohrs T, et al. Effects of caffeine on sleep 0, 3, or 6 hours before bedtime. JCSM. 2013 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24235903 Accessed April 4, 2019
Roehrs T, Roth T. Caffeine: sleep and daytime sleepiness. Sleep Med Rev. 2008 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17950009 Accessed April 4, 2022
Clark I and Landolt HP (2016) Coffee, caffeine and sleep. Sleep Med Rev. 2008 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26899133 Accessed April 4, 2019
Burke TM, Markwald RR, et al. Effects of caffeine on the human circadian clock in vivo and in vitro. Science of Translational Medicine. 2015. https://stm.sciencemag.org/content/7/305/305ra146 Accessed April 4, 2022.
Ogale R.P. and Phillips J.G. Commonly used stimulants: sleep problems, addiction and psychological stress. Drugs and Alc Dep. 2015. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26049205 Accessed April 4, 2022.

The information on this website is not intended to replace personal contact with a qualified health care professional and is not intended to be used as medical advice. Please read our full medical disclaimer.

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Sleepy effect of caffeine

There are different types of adenosine receptors in the brain: some of them signal the need for rest, others trigger awakening processes and promote the mobilization of all body systems. As a rule, there are more receptors of the first group; caffeine blocks them.

But sometimes, very rarely, deviations from the norm occur: some people have more receptors responsible for a state of vigor. They take the caffeine hit. “Fatigue receptors” remain unblocked, the person relaxes, it seems to him that coffee puts him to sleep.

If caffeine blocks the receptors responsible for alertness, a person falls asleep

Darker and bigger

At the same time, drinking coffee can serve as a prevention of serious illnesses, in particular Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases. However, the main active ingredient of the drink - caffeine - turned out to have nothing to do with it. Canadian scientists have found that phenylindanes, the only compounds of their kind that prevent the appearance of two main proteins responsible for the development of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases, have a protective effect on the brain. These substances are formed when coffee beans are roasted. Since roasting leads to an increase in the amount of phenylindanes, dark roasted coffee is considered more beneficial for the prevention of Alzheimer's and Parkinson's diseases.

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The habit of drinking coffee may also protect against type 2 diabetes. Scientists from Harvard University came to this conclusion. Moreover, the protective effect increased with increasing coffee consumption. Thus, an additional one and a half cups of coffee per day reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 11%. And people who drank three cups of coffee or more a day were 30% less likely to develop diabetes than those who drank one cup a day. And in this case, caffeine had nothing to do with it. Researchers have suggested that phenolic compounds and magnesium (coffee is famous for its high content) improve glucose metabolism.

Instant coffee: energy drink or sleeping pill?

There aren't many people who don't feel invigorated by caffeine. Another phenomenon is much more common: a person experiences a surge of energy from a cup of natural coffee, but, on the contrary, from instant coffee, he becomes sleepy.

The thing is that coffee contains not one, but two alkaloids that act on the body in the opposite way: invigorating caffeine and calming theobromine. There is significantly less theobromine in beans, and it begins to affect the body when the effect of caffeine weakens: approximately 40–60 minutes after drinking coffee. Some coffee lovers are generally immune to small doses of theobromine, others feel a slight tingling in the kidney area: the alkaloid promotes constriction of the renal blood vessels.

But the coffee bean is designed in such a way that the concentration of caffeine is higher closer to its surface, and theobromine is higher in the center. When making instant coffee, the top part of the beans is cut off: medicines and energy drinks are produced from caffeine-rich raw materials.

Instant coffee contains approximately the same amount of caffeine as natural Arabica coffee, and much more theobromine. And here everything depends on physiology and the power of persuasion. If a person drinks instant coffee in the morning before work, when the body is supposed to mobilize anyway, then he may not realize that the drink is not very invigorating. But for someone who is very tired and wants to drive away sleep, instant coffee does not always have the desired effect.

Hence the conclusion: if you are very tired, it is better to drink natural coffee; instant coffee sometimes only increases drowsiness.

How to drink coffee without feeling tired?

Be sure to have plain water: one glass for every cup of coffee, as staying well hydrated can prevent fatigue, Muhammad said. Plus, what you put in your coffee can affect your energy. If you add sugar (including white or cane sugar, syrup, or sweetened cream), it may affect your blood sugar and insulin levels.

Excess sugar can cause insulin levels to rise and, as a result, sugar levels to drop. Sugar-free sweeteners such as stevia and monk fruit can be a good alternative in this case.

According to Muhammad, eating dairy products can also have a rebound effect after a cup of coffee, since dairy products contain tryptophan, an amino acid that is associated with drowsiness. So instead, you can try adding non-dairy creamers such as soy, almond, oats or coconut to your coffee.

And to reduce the amount of added sugar, choose dairy or non-dairy products that are not sweetened. Don't forget that lactose-free milk is usually sweetened, so it can also make you drowsy even after a few cups of coffee.

Factors that weaken the effects of caffeine

It happens that a person regularly drinks coffee for a long time, but at some point he begins to notice that his favorite drink no longer evokes the usual feeling of cheerfulness. This means that the body has adapted to the periodic intake of a substance that blocks adenosine receptors and has developed a compensation mechanism. To avoid addiction, you should not increase your daily dose of coffee, but give it up altogether for at least a few weeks. Then, 1-2 days a week, replace coffee with a chicory drink or rooibos.

The invigorating effect of coffee is significantly weakened by milk and cream. Milk protein slows down the absorption of caffeine, and if there is a lot of milk, the effect of the alkaloid is practically neutralized. Therefore, after a cappuccino or latte, a tired person often begins to feel sleepy.

Many people become immune to caffeine after eating high-calorie, fatty foods, including brownies and buttercream cakes. Nature has built into the human body the need to get some sleep after a hearty meal (all predators do this). And the caffeine contained in a cup of espresso is not enough to overcome this physiological need. Also, the invigorating effect of caffeine is weakened if you drink several glasses of water before coffee or eat rich broth or soup.

Coffee with cognac, whiskey or rum causes severe drowsiness. Caffeine and alcohol create a serious load on blood vessels and the liver; the body spends a lot of energy neutralizing the effects of alkaloids, which is why a person feels tired.

What to do if coffee makes you sleepy

If coffee drinks cause lethargy, you need to reconsider your diet and lifestyle, and perhaps even consult a doctor. With good general health, drowsiness from drinking coffee can occur only if the body is tired: the person has not had enough sleep or is in a state of chronic stress or illness.

When large doses of the drink cause weakness and lethargy, it is necessary to temporarily abandon it. Warming up, walking in the fresh air or ventilating the room will help awaken the body. If such measures do not help, then the nervous system really needs rest and it’s better to get some sleep.

When you feel sleepy with coffee, you can try one of the options to cheer yourself up:

switch to tea drinks;
give up coffee and tea to allow the body to take a break from caffeine and recover;
move more and breathe fresh air;
drink clean water to reduce the concentration of active substances in the body.

Caffeine and theobromine also sometimes interact with certain medications, causing drowsiness or insomnia. In such cases, you should consult your doctor or pharmacist. Perhaps they cannot be combined.

How to fall asleep after a nightcap

If coffee causes a rapid heartbeat, trembling hands, increased blood pressure, anxiety, or interferes with sleep, just drink a glass of clean water - this will help cleanse the blood.

Fresh air and a herbal pillow or aromatherapy with soothing oil can also help you fall asleep. Just apply a couple of drops to your wrists and massage your temples.

Coffee and sleep quality are not as closely related as you might think. When the body needs rest, you should not torture it with “magic remedies”. A fragrant drink, first of all, should bring sensual pleasure, and not become a subject of painful addiction. Live in harmony and enjoy delicious coffee recipes.

A moment of history

We have known about coffee since the 9th century, in which, according to one legend, the wonderful properties of the fruits of the coffee tree were discovered by an Ethiopian shepherd. From Africa, the coffee drink spread first to the East and then to Europe.