Cut Back On Caffeine For Better Sleep

Caffeine in short:

Caffeine is a drug that is naturally produced in the leaves and seeds of many plants mainly the coffee plant. Caffeine can be produced artificially and added to certain foods. Caffeine can effectively stimulate the central nervous system, causing increased heart rate and alertness and hence it is defined as a drug.

Most people who are sensitive to caffeine experience a temporary increase in energy and elevation in mood. Caffeine is found mainly in tealeaves, coffee beans, chocolate, many soft drinks, pain relievers, and other over-the-counter pills. Naturally, caffeine tastes very bitter but most of the caffeinated drinks have gone through enough processing that camouflage the bitter taste. A considerable percentage of caffeine is also found in soft drinks, which have added sugar and artificial flavors.

Effects of caffeine on sleep:

Studies of the effect of caffeine on sleep have shown that one strong cup of coffee, drunk 30-60 minutes before going to sleep, can cause restlessness and difficulty falling asleep, increased body movements, a tendency to be awakened more readily by sudden noises, and a decreased quality of sleep.

However, there is a wide variation in caffeine's effects on sleep that may be related to whether the person is a habitual, heavy user or a non-user of caffeine. Non-users report greater difficulty with sleep after consuming caffeine. It is seen that heavy users of caffeine regularly experience sleep disturbances. However, their increased tolerance to the effects of caffeine affects their perceptions of disturbed sleep and often they sleep for shorter periods of time and have grown accustomed to this pattern.

How to cut back on caffeine:

Caffeine can be considered to some extent a sort of addiction and it can cause withdrawal symptoms after a rapid cessation of regular or heavy use. A regular use of caffeine can lead a person to become emotionally and mentally dependant upon the regular intake of caffeine. In order to cut back on caffeine effectively one can switch on to methods that can not only done with own initiatives but are also recommended by popular practitioners. These steps or methods includes meditation on a regular basis, a 10 minutes walk daily, intake of green of green tea instead of coffee and regular exercise.

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