Whether it’s to power you through an all-nighter just before a critical deadline or to ensure you aren’t caught falling asleep on the job during a night shift at the local 24-hour convenience store, caffeine is used as a pick-me-up everywhere. But, is there such a thing as drinking coffee too late at night?
Every day, over 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed, along with caffeine-packed energy drinks. In particular, many companies boost premium energy drinks with extra caffeine, making it crucial for the public to discern optimal timing strategies to mitigate the adverse effects of caffeine.
Caffeine boasts a half-life of approximately six hours, meaning that if you drink a caffeinated drink at 6:00 PM, about half of the caffeine will remain in your system by midnight. Moreover, sleep disruption may persist for up to an hour beyond this six-hour timeframe. One study investigating the effects of caffeine found noted sleep disturbances even up to six hours before sleep. In fact, the disruptive effects of late-night caffeine are so profound that certain research groups use caffeine to mimic the effects of insomnia in their studies.
A population-based study of individuals aged 18- to 58 found that approximately 68.5% of people consume caffeine from 6:00 PM to 12:00 AM. This late-night consumption often leads to symptoms such as dizziness, exhaustion, and sleep deprivation the following day. Additionally, increases in irritability and decreases in overall performance can be expected. Late-night caffeine intake can also lead to sleep fragmentation, which is a condition characterized by repeated awakenings throughout the night that lead to broken-up periods of rest.
Drinking too much caffeine late at night can lead to cases of severe sleep deprivation and fragmentation.
Image Source: janiecbros
While sacrificing a night or two of sleep may appear inconsequential, persistent sleep deprivation poses life-threatening risks to individuals. Sleep deprivation is associated with numerous chronic health issues, particularly those concerning high blood pressure such as heart disease and strokes. Other dangers include kidney disease, diabetes, obesity, depression, and more. To mitigate these risks, researchers advocate drinking your last cup of coffee no later than 5:00 PM to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Featured Image Source: © peshkova / Adobe Stock
