Caffeine Doesn't Give You Energy?
42sReveals the surprising biochemistry that caffeine blocks tiredness instead of providing energy, challenging a common belief.
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[00:00] be the reason we struggle to get through the day in the first place if it messes with our sleep. So, other than trying to pry this sweet caffeinated nectar from our cold dead hands, how far into the day can we consume
[00:15] caffeine without running into sleep issues? Well, let’s find out. Caffeine is the most widely used stimulant in the world, and it’s not even close. Thing is, nothing gives us a solid boost of energy
[00:28] sugar. What’s interesting though, is that, biochemically, caffeine is more of an inhibitory substance, namely an adenosine receptor inhibitor. This means that caffeine doesn’t necessarily give us energy. Instead, it
[00:42] that make us feel tired. Of course, we don’t want to inhibit the brain when we actually benefit from feeling tired, aka when we go to sleep. When is the absolute latest in the day we can consume caffeine
[00:59] without impacting our sleep? Well, in terms of the scientific data, I have some good news and bad news. The good news is that, the science universally agrees that there is a dose and time-dependent effect, where the later
[01:12] and the more you consume caffeine, the more crappy your sleep will be. The bad news, though, is that the science doesn’t fully agree on the specifics Fortunately, we can still glean some insights
[01:24] but at least general recommendations and ranges to help us make better decisions. everything, everyone’s experiences with caffeine will vary
[01:38] and can be influenced by other factors. Factors like your age, you’ll be to caffeine’s sleep-disrupting effects. And also your genetics, where certain gene variations can impact caffeine sensitivity. That said, let’s
[01:52] In the science, studies typically use around 100 milligrams of caffeine, or about one cup of espresso, as their smallest measured dose. no later than 4 to 8 hours before bedtime. Now, sure,
[02:09] highlights the varying individual effects of caffeine. But, if we’re strictly looking at which timeframe has the most consistent scientific support, I think it’s best to learn more towards the 8-hour timeframe to be on the safe
[02:23] side. So, for example, for myself, I probably wanna avoid consuming any caffeine past 3PM since I go to bed around 11PM. Now, where things get a bit surprising is if we wanna consume more than 100 milligrams.
[02:36] At 200 milligrams, some research show that your sleep can be disrupted if consumed later than 16 hours before bedtime. That’s right, that the very standard practice of consuming two to three cups of coffee
[02:50] or espresso in the morning may very well be your daily limit. and more conservative figures exist. And second, this data is within the context of avoiding ANY sleep issues with caffeine.
[03:05] can realistically only be detected by sleep monitoring devices that show subtle reductions to sleep factors like sleep onset time, total sleep time, and sleep efficiency. Subjectively, we probably won’t notice
[03:19] okay with losing a few minutes of sleep or taking a bit longer to fall asleep, That said, looking at the science as a whole, it might be best to consume
[03:32] 200 milligrams of caffeine no later than 8 hours before bed Of course, to be extra safe, or honestly, you might wanna avoid caffeine
[03:46] And there you have it. If you are a regular caffeine connoisseur, in order to protect your sleep. At least according to latest science.
[04:00] But that’s a discussion for another video. Other than that, if
