We all know that drinking a cup of coffee in the evening is not very good for sleep. Caffeine keeps us awake. But when is the best time to drink the last cup of the day?
Effect of caffeine on sleep
American scientists are studying how long the effect of caffeine can disturb sleep, he writes General newspaper. They have the test subjects drink 400 milligrams of coffee at different times before going to bed. This equates to about 3 small (125-milliliter) cups or 1.5 large cups. These are the times just before bedtime, 3 hours before and 6 hours before. The results show that caffeine can affect sleep quality up to 6 hours before bedtime.
Various investigations
Dragonfly appoint an investigation into it Sleep Disorders and Research Center. Some participants receive a placebo and then no caffeine. This research shows that drinking caffeine (not just coffee) has an effect on sleep. Those who drink caffeine half an hour before going to bed have a very disturbed night’s sleep. But participants who ingested the substance 6 hours before bedtime also suffered from “some disturbances” in their nocturnal sleep.
Caffeine stays in our body for a long time
Neuroscientist Matt Walker has written a book about the impact coffee has on our sleep. According to him, caffeine lasts longer in our bodies than one might expect. After about 5-6 hours, the material is half finished. After 10-12 hours, a quarter of the caffeine has still not left the body.
Read also: Cup of coffee? The choice is huge
Tip: Don’t drink coffee after 2pm
The way your body processes caffeine may be different from your partner or friends. That’s why it’s hard to tell an exact time for the last coffee of that day. But that Sleep Disorders and Research Center recommends not to drink coffee after 2pm. Then caffeine will no longer affect your sleep.
How many cups of coffee can you drink a day?
It Nutrition Center says healthy adults can drink an average of 5 cups of coffee a day without any problems. Also, 3 more cups of green or black tea (which also contain caffeine). Provided you take no or few products with caffeine.
Read also: Is drinking coffee on an empty stomach bad for you?
Decaffeinated coffee
If you like to drink coffee in the evening, but want to avoid caffeine, you can also drink decaf. So you get the taste of coffee, but not the effect of a regular cup of coffee. By the way, decaf coffee is not fully decaf. It still contains about 3 milligrams of caffeine per cup. A regular coffee contains 60 grams of caffeine. The 3 milligrams are equivalent to a piece of milk chocolate.
(Source: Algemeen Dagblad, Libelle, Talkshow M, Voedingscentrum. Photo: Shutterstock)
