The impact of caffeine on sleep depends on personal tolerance and genetic variations among individuals. While caffeine has health benefits, it can also have problematic effects such as raising blood pressure. It increases dopamine, which is related to energy and motivation, and helps us stay awake.
Drinking a single cup of coffee in the evening can reduce the amount of deep sleep by 30%, which is equivalent to aging a person by 12-14 years. Standardized doses of caffeine can also significantly decrease the amount of deep non-REM sleep, especially in the first two hours of sleep.
This episode provides tips for improving caffeine consumption such as delaying caffeine intake by 90-120 minutes after waking up, splitting caffeine intake into two doses, and not drinking caffeine on an empty stomach to avoid jitters.
Caffeine should not be consumed too late in the day, it is best to cut caffeine intake and become more sensitive to it over time. The recommended daily caffeine intake is around two milligrams per kilogram of body mass.
Ingesting caffeine before a nap or non-sleep deep rest reduces the effectiveness of the nap or NSDR in restoring natural levels of alertness and focus, leading to performance diminishment. However, caffeine can improve mood, focus, and alertness on its own without the need for prior ingestion.