The Effects of Caffeine on Your Sleep
Research has shown that insomniacs have noticeably higher metabolic rate than other people, both during the day and night.
Even though you may feel tired and slowed down, your body is hyped up. Adding caffeine makes insomnia worse.
It is not only coffee that disturbs your sleep.
Beverages and foods containing caffeine are:
- Coffee
- Tea
- Chocolate and chocolate flavored foods and drinks
- Chocolate milk
- Most colas and other soft drinks, including those that are sugar-free
There are number of prescription and non-prescription medications that contain caffeine. For example, these are:
- Migraine and headache pills
- Analgesic/Pain relievers
- Muscle relaxants
- Weight control aids
- Alertness tablets
- Cold tablets
- Allergy remedies
Symptoms of too much caffeine can include shakiness, nervousness, irritability, irregular heart rhythms, low blood pressure, nausea, dizziness, stomach problems, and frequent urination.
Caffeine can cause people to take longer to fall asleep, or cause more awakenings during the night. Both can contribute to a poor overall quality of sleep.
To find out if caffeine is affecting your sleep, try completely eliminating it from your diet for a week. Don't forget to count caffeine in soft drinks, some medications, chocolate and chocolate-flavored shakes, candy and desserts.
This could be difficult at first. You may be addicted to caffeine. Many people initially have headaches and a lack of energy. In fact, your insomnia may worsen initially, as you start to feel the effects of caffeine withdrawal.
After a caffeine-free week, if you find that you sleep better, consider eliminating it from your diet permanently. (Besides, you already went through the caffeine withdrawal effects; you may as well be done with it for good).