A hot cup of coffee in the morning is typically all you need to get through the day without getting too tired. However, on some nights, whether you’re studying for a test or polishing up a crucial presentation, you turn to even more caffeine to give you an extra energy boost. While initially, this might seem like a good idea, coffee after 3 p.m. can hurt your quality of sleep. And it’s likely that you’ve already realized this since you’re having trouble falling asleep after your late-night coffee fix; don’t worry, we’ll explain how to do so in this article.
How Does Coffee Affect Our Sleep?
The high caffeine content of coffee can have a negative effect on your ability to sleep. Coffee beans contain caffeine, a naturally occurring stimulant. Caffeine’s effects can linger with you for several hours after a cup is consumed.
The way that caffeine affects your energy level makes it pretty clear how it will disrupt your sleep: it prevents your body from receiving adenosine, a molecule that your body uses to feel sleepy.
Caffeine gives you a temporary energy boost by preventing your body from going to sleep, which can make falling asleep seem almost impossible.
Due to its unpleasant side effects, coffee can also prevent you from falling asleep.
Coffee consumption can make it harder for you to fall asleep soundly because it can lead to indigestion, an elevated heart rate, and sweating.
Additionally, coffee has a diuretic effect, which means it speeds up urination. The difficulty in falling asleep quickly is caused by having to constantly get up to use the restroom.
11 Tips For How To Sleep After Coffee
Physical Activity
Regular exercise can enhance your sleep quality. Try going for a walk or working out a few hours prior to going to bed if you are concerned about being overly caffeinated.
Exercise increases the amount of adenosine in your body, which is the exact sleep-inducing compound that caffeine limits. Exercise can therefore assist you in regaining some of the chemical balance that your afternoon cup of coffee may have disrupted.
But make sure to work out at least two or three hours prior to your intended bedtime. Your body may be too energized to fall asleep if you exercise too soon before bed.
Lower The Room Temperature
According to research, cooler temperatures are preferable for sleeping. Try using a fan or air conditioning in your bedroom if you have control over the temperature to create a more relaxing environment for sleeping.
Cooler temperatures can help your body feel sleepy, cozy, and relaxed while warmer temperatures can make your body more awake and alert. Your sleep quality should be improved by keeping your room at a temperature of roughly 15 to 19 Celsius.
Take A Warm Shower
Taking a warm shower or bath before bed can help your body become more comfortable and sleepy, much like the effect of lowering the room temperature.
Warming your body up before going into a cooler environment will help enhance the contrast effect of the temperatures and heighten the sleepy sensation because cooler temperatures cause a sleepy bodily response.
Though it won’t be as relaxing in the long run and could keep you up too late before bed, try to avoid turning the shower on too high a heat.
Avoid Light
Exposure to light has a significant impact on the sleep cycle of your brain. Your body will have a much harder time going to sleep if the room is too bright or you’ve been staring at a backlit screen.
Use only warm, dim light bulbs when getting ready for bed for the best results in improving the lighting in your sleeping environment. Avoid using your phone once you are in bed. When you’re having trouble falling asleep, it can be tempting to scroll through social media, but the obnoxious blue light will only make you stay awake longer.
It might be a good idea to buy a set of blackout curtains if there is still too much streetlight entering after you turn off the lights. With blackout curtains, you can keep annoying streetlamps and flashing lights out of your cozy, dark bedroom.
Stay Hydrated
Since the coffee is already causing you to get up too often to urinate, drinking water before bed may seem counterintuitive. However, since coffee dehydrates you, consuming water prior to going to bed can make you feel more at ease.
Dehydration can make it difficult to fall asleep, and cause dry mouth, snoring, and other problems. It can also make you feel sick because you aren’t getting enough water.
In light of this, having a glass of water before bed will help you make up for the fluids your body has lost as a result of the coffee, as well as keep you from feeling yucky in the morning.
Read A Book
When you can’t sleep, try picking up a real book or magazine rather than grabbing your phone. Reading will enable you to stay away from the harsh blue light from your phone while still allowing you to decompress and enjoy a relaxing experience.
Additionally, reading will make your eyes tired because of the increased eye movement. Your body will become more sleepy and your brain will receive a signal to relax when your eyes are tired.
Instead of staring at your phone, try listening to relaxing music, audiobooks, or podcasts if reading doesn’t appeal to you or isn’t an option. Without having to stare at a screen, the calming audio content can assist in relieving stress.
Try Playing Dead
If all else fails, pretend to be dead. It may sound strange, but laying flat on your back with your arms by your sides, like a corpse, will make your body more relaxed and sleepy.
Serotonin is a hormone that promotes calmness and sleeps that your body can produce more of when you lie in this position.
It’s best to concentrate on deep breathing when attempting this sleeping position. Your heart rate can be lowered and you can be distracted from the stress of insomnia by concentrating on your breathing. If you exhale more slowly than you inhale, deep breathing will be most beneficial.
Food
A midnight raid on the fridge may be entertaining, but it can also interfere with your sleep cycle. Eat too close to bedtime to avoid digestive problems like acid reflux that can keep you awake. Two to three hours before going to bed, you might want to stop eating.
Melatonin
You may have tried taking melatonin supplements if you’ve ever experienced jet lag. Your circadian rhythm, which is your body’s internal clock that regulates when to stay awake and when to sleep, is kept in check by the natural hormone melatonin. The Mayo Clinic claims that taking extra melatonin can improve your sleep.
Turn Off Your Electronics
Both caffeine and the constant buzzes or beeps from your phone’s email, social media, and text message notifications are stimulants for your brain. In order to fall asleep at night, whether you have caffeine or not, your brain needs to be in a relaxed state, which is something that these substances prevent. Make it easier on yourself by turning off your electronics since falling asleep after a cup or two of coffee is already a difficult task.
Additionally, the blue light that is emitted by typical electronics like your laptop, cell phone, and television can make it more difficult to fall asleep. The hormone that controls your sleep-wake cycle, melatonin, can no longer be produced by your body as a result of exposure to light. Additionally, it may disrupt the internal alarm clock (also known as circadian rhythm), which relies heavily on light and darkness, making it hard for your body to recognize when it should start winding down for bed. So be sure to switch off all electronics, and keep your phone away from your bedside table.
Practice Meditation Or Light Yoga
As we’ve already mentioned, the idea is to relax your body and mind as much as you can before attempting to fall asleep after consuming caffeine. Meditation—the practice of mindfulness or focused, intentional thought to achieve a state of profound relaxation—is one of the most effective methods for calming the mind.
Take deep, relaxed breaths as you sit or lay down to meditate. Breathe normally, not as if a master yogi were counting your breaths in front of you, in other words. Watch your breathing and how your body moves as you inhale and exhale. You should start to feel at ease and hopefully even a little sleepy after doing this for a while.
Since light yoga encourages mindfulness practice and stretches out your muscles, it’s a great way to unwind your body and mind.
What If Those Don’t Work?
Don’t get upset if you’ve tried every method you can think of but can’t get to sleep. It will only be more challenging to fall asleep if you become stressed.
It’s crucial to use that time to rest your body and mind as much as you can, even if you are unable to fall asleep completely. Continue to read your book or listen to your podcast, relax in a dark or dimly lit room, and practice deep breathing.
Be sure to speak up for your health if you find that the next morning you are significantly sleep-deprived. Organize a nap time or, if you’re feeling particularly sleepy, try going to bed earlier.
Other Ways To Fall Asleep After Drinking Coffee
Take a bath: Warm baths and even warm showers, according to studies, can help you unwind enough to fall asleep more quickly. According to the study, taking a bath in water that is between 104°F and 109°F about 90 minutes before bedtime can help you fall asleep up to 10 minutes faster. Even though it might not seem like a lot of time, even a little can be helpful.
Use essential oils: Essential oils and their effectiveness in promoting sleep have been studied in some detail. The most popular essential oil, lavender, has been proven in studies to actually enhance sleep quality. A diffuser in your room is a practical way to use it. Frankincense and chamomile are two additional popular essential oils for promoting sleep. Even mandarin essential oil is advised by Mayo Clinic specialists.
Don’t eat too close to bedtime: Your digestive system has to work to break down the food you eat. If you eat too close to going to bed, your muscles will be working overtime to keep the food moving, which will make it more difficult for your body to unwind and fall asleep. Instead, eat earlier in the day so that your digestive system isn’t working as hard.
Adjust the temperature: If the temperature in your bedroom is comfortable, your body will generally sleep better. You’ll have a harder time falling asleep if it’s too warm. According to studies, the ideal sleeping temperature range is between 60°F and 67°F.
Put on relaxing music: You can get better sleep by listening to soothing music. Try playing some soothing music at a low volume if you’re having trouble falling or staying asleep. Music therapy’s effectiveness in promoting sleep has been demonstrated by studies.
Conclusion: Daytime Tricks
While there is nothing quite like a good cup of coffee, it shouldn’t get in the way of a restful night’s sleep. You can try some daytime strategies like limiting your caffeine intake to the morning hours, exercising moderately, drinking lots of water, and avoiding eating too close to bedtime to avoid having a restless night. Maintain a regular sleep schedule and stay away from bright lights and excessive stimulation late at night. You might find it easier to fall asleep if you choose a relaxing activity to do just before bed. And if you don’t immediately fall asleep, don’t get upset.
No matter when you drink coffee, we hope these tricks and tips will help you get better, more restful sleep. Rest well and take pleasure in your coffee!