Why Does Coffee Make Me Sleepy?

You consume coffee to get a boost for your routine tasks, right? But the drink whose primary purpose is to wake you up can make you tired. 

This tiredness happens because caffeine blocks adenosine receptors that control sleepiness in your brain. Sometimes after drinking too much coffee one can feel a burst of energy followed by a crash. Besides this, excessive intake of dairy products and sugar makes you feel tired all day long.

If you love drinking coffee, you should try out specific remedies that balance things out and protect you from uncomfortable side effects of caffeine and make you regain your energy once again.

Keep reading this article to know why coffee makes you feel sleepy and the other health risks from drinking too much coffee. Further, we will cover how you can minimize the effects of caffeine.

Does your pee smell like coffee after you have a large cup? Find out why here.

The Most Obvious Reasons why Coffee Makes You Sleepy

  • Caffeine Blocks Adenosine 

Adenosine is a naturally occurring molecule in the body that makes a person feel sleepy. When you drink too much coffee, the body absorbs the caffeine and reaches your brain.

Therefore, caffeine can block the adenosine’s effects, making you active for a short period until its effect vanishes. This is why after drinking coffee you can feel a burst in energy then a crash shortly afterward.

  • Sweet Coffee Increases Blood Glucose Levels

Sweetness like sugar or honey in coffee can be a potential culprit to make you crash and feel sleepy. Adding too much sweetness to the coffee can produce insulin, which increases the blood glucose level, making you feel dizzy.

Therefore, try to reduce the volume of sugar or honey that goes into your cup of coffee to stay awake.

  • Coffee is a Diuretic

An excess amount of coffee can get rid of water and salt from your body and make you feel dehydrated. Due to dehydration, many other symptoms arise.

This includes fatigue, dizziness, confusion, dry mouth, and thirst.

  • Coffee Beans Might Contain Molds

A measurable amount of molds, which is harmful, is found in some coffee beans. Apart from this, coffee beans contain toxins linked to chronic fatigue.

The effects of mold can become more severe than just fatigue. This is because these mycotoxins may lead to liver and kidney dysfunction, becoming life-threatening.

  • Building Tolerance Towards Caffeine

Regular consumption of coffee can build up a tolerance towards caffeine. It does this by blocking the effects of adenosine. Because the body is producing more adenosine receptors, the body is metabolizing continuous exposure to caffeine. This means that the body may be addicted to caffeine which can become too risky.

Risks of Heavy Coffee intake

  • Digestive Issues

Decaffeinated coffee can speed up the activity in the colony but can hurt the stomach and cause ulcers. It can make you feel dehydrated and lead to loose tools and even diarrhea in some people.

  • High Blood Pressure

Coffee can have a stimulatory effect on the nervous system and lead to an increase in blood pressure. It can also damage arteries and restrict blood flow to various body parts, including the heart and brain. Moreover, it can risk heart disease or stroke in most severe cases.

  • Anxiety & Fatigue

Sometimes, caffeinated drinks can lead to rebound effects and cause fatigue and anxiety, and low mood for several hours. This also affects your ability to sleep rather than boost your energy levels. So try to keep the limit in check and take a moderate dose of coffee.

  • Rapid Heart Rate

The effects of caffeine make our heart beat faster than the everyday rhythm. This rapid heart rate can lead to a risk of kidney failure and other serious health issues. It can also lead to heart failure due to drinking caffeinated beverages, including tea, coffee, and coke.

  • Insomnia

Higher caffeine intake can make it challenging to get enough sleep. On the contrary, low and moderate amounts of caffeine don’t affect sleep schedules. 

According to research, the caffeine content remains for five to six hours in our body. It is essential to pay attention to the amount and time of coffee consumption to optimize your sleep accordingly. 

How to Reduce the Effects of Coffee?

  • Stay Hydrated

Drinking water and water-rich fruits are most important to cut out the effect of coffee from your body. It helps you stay hydrated throughout the day. Moreover, it increases the urination process and removes all the toxins from your body, reducing the effect of coffee.

  • Practice Deep Breathing

If you are tired, try to practice deep breathing techniques for about 5-10 minutes. This will help calm your muscles and nervous systems. Deep breathing eliminates carbon dioxide from the body and takes in enough oxygen through a natural process that hydrates the body. 

  • Eat Fibrous Foods

Consuming fiber-rich foods will help slow down caffeine’s reach in the bloodstream. You can consume whole grains, nuts, seeds, and starchy vegetables to get enough supply of fiber into the body. These foods will help keep bowel movements healthy and avoid colon problems. 

  • Drink Electrolytes

Drinking coffee can lead to diarrhea which makes you lose enough water and electrolytes from the body. You can drink an electrolyte solution or a sports drink with electrolytes so that your body can recover and replace lost electrolytes. 

  • Avoid Drinking Coffee 6 Hours Before Bed

Sleeping can not metabolize the effect of coffee and can turn your body down.  Besides, it’s tough to relax and turn off your mind when you have coffee in your system. So, always give your body the time to cut off the caffeine before sleeping. 

How Much Coffee is too Much Coffee?

Coffee does not make you feel exhausted right in the beginning. But, the caffeine it contains can cause exhaustion over time, especially when you consume it regularly.

The use of caffeine up to 350 milligrams (mg) per day appears to be safe for most healthy people. This is about 3-4 cups of brewed coffee, 7-8 cans of cola, or 2 “energy shot” drinks containing about the same amount of caffeine. 

Keep in mind that beverages’ caffeine concentration varies a lot, particularly in energy drinks. So, you have to measure it thoroughly if you are a coffee person and consume it accordingly.

You will benefit from caffeine if you keep within the reccomened quantity of caffeine intake per day.

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I have always been a shopaholic. A lot of times my questions went unanswered when it came to retail questions, so I started Talk Radio News. - Caitlyn Johnson

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