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You may feel awake and have trouble sleeping at night after drinking coffee. This is certainly very disturbing the time and quality of your sleep. For those of you who want to keep drinking coffee, this article will discuss how to eliminate the effects of coffee so that your sleep remains quality.
What are the effects that appear after drinking coffee?
Coffee is a beverage brewed by coffee beans that are rich in caffeine content. Caffeine is a naturally occurring psychoactive substance found in many plants, such as coffee beans, chocolate, tea leaves, and kola nuts.
After drinking coffee or caffeinated drinks, there are several effects that you may feel, namely:
1. Alertness increases and energy increases
Caffeine is known to increase alertness and provide energy. After drinking coffee, caffeine is absorbed and distributed throughout the body, including to the brain through the blood vessels.
In the brain, caffeine blocks adenosine receptors. Adenosine is a hormone that makes you sleepy and wants to sleep.
Normally, when in the bloodstream, adenosine interacts with certain receptor cells, thereby blocking nerve activity and causing drowsiness. It's the blocking done by caffeine that ultimately keeps you awake. That's why you continue to be alert and more energetic after drinking coffee.
For this reason, many drugs and energy drinks use caffeine.
2. Gives the effect of difficulty sleeping
A study in the journal Science Translational Medicine also states that caffeine can disrupt the circadian rhythm of melatonin, which can delay sleep.
Circadian rhythms are physiological patterns of the body within 24 hours, such as the sleep and wake cycles.
3. Frequent pee
One of the effects of drinking coffee that you may also feel is frequent urination. This is because the diuretic effect of caffeine causes the body to produce more urine.
In high doses, caffeine has a diuretic effect that can affect the kidneys.
4. Other effects
Drinking too much coffee is also known to cause various other side effects, such as increased heart rate, dizziness, nervousness, and shaking.
How long does it take for the effects of caffeine to be lost in the body?
When you drink coffee, the body will quickly absorb the caffeine contained in it. The effects of caffeine will usually appear 30-60 minutes after you drink coffee. The effects of caffeine itself can last in the body for 4-6 hours. That's the reason, you will stay up all night when drinking coffee in the afternoon.
However, these effects may vary from individual to individual depending on conditions.
The American Academy of Sleep Medicine says, in a day, you are recommended not to consume more than 300-400 mg of coffee or the equivalent of 3-4 cups of coffee.
This is related to the dangers of coffee can cause side effects that are risky to health.
How to get rid of the effects of coffee so you can sleep
For some people, the benefits of coffee are not only useful for getting through the day but also become part of a lifestyle and even a mood booster at work.
So that you can drink coffee without worrying about waking up at night or other side effects, here are some ways to eliminate the effects of coffee or minimize it that you must try.
1. Drink coffee before the afternoon
Given the effects of caffeine can last 4-6 hours after being absorbed by the body, try to drink coffee earlier so that your night's sleep is not disturbed.
You can drink coffee in the morning or give it 8-10 hours of your bedtime plan.
2. Drink coffee after eating
Side effects of coffee and caffeine can also cause digestive problems, such as acid reflux. So, avoid drinking coffee on an empty stomach.
This can make your stomach uncomfortable and even increase the risk of stomach disease. Try to drink coffee after eating, especially if you want to drink coffee in the morning.
3. Drink enough
To eliminate the effects of caffeine in the body after drinking coffee, make sure you drink enough water.
The reason is, the effects of caffeine can increase when the body is dehydrated or dehydrated. That's why, increasing body hydration can be one way to get rid of the effects of coffee quickly, so that your night's sleep is not disturbed.
In addition, the diuretic effect caused by caffeine also makes you dehydrated more quickly, so you need more fluid intake.
4. Know your body's limits
Excess caffeine can cause insomnia or difficulty sleeping at night. Try to consume no more caffeine than has been recommended.
Given that the caffeine tolerance number is different for each individual, it is important for you to recognize the limits of caffeine tolerance in your body so you don't consume too much.
5. Take supplements
Supplements containing L-Theanine are known to help or minimize the negative effects of caffeine. A study published in the journal Biological Psychology revealed that L-theanine was able to inhibit the stimulation produced by caffeine.
L-Theanine itself is an amino acid that is found in green tea, black tea, and some types of mushrooms. This type of amino acid is known to reduce insomnia or difficulty sleeping, relieve anxiety, and reduce stress.
6. Exercising
Exercise is also one way to eliminate the effects of drinking coffee in the body. Exercise can help increase the body's metabolism.
If the body's metabolism is good, the body will also process and eliminate the effects of caffeine faster.
However, to get the maximum benefit, you should make exercise a regular habit.